Three coaches of Ujjain Express derail in Uttarakhand’s Rishikesh; probe on

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Three coaches of the Ujjain Express derailed near Yog Nagari Railway Station in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh during shunting operations late Monday night, railway officials said. No passengers were on board at the time of the incident, and no injuries were reported.

The derailment took place in the Khand Gaon area at around 9:30 pm. Authorities said restoration and repair work began immediately after the accident, while railway officials launched an investigation into the cause of the derailment.

Incident occurred during maintenance operations

According to officials, the train was undergoing shunting operations when three coaches went off the tracks. Preliminary findings suggest that the derailment may have been caused by either a technical fault or human error, although officials have not yet confirmed the exact reason behind the incident.

A police team from the local Kotwali station reached the site soon after receiving information about the derailment. Repair work and inspections continued late into the night.

Kailash Chandra Bhatt, Inspector-in-Charge of the Kotwali police station, said the incident took place during maintenance hours when the train was not carrying any passengers.

Railway staff halt movement on tracks after derailment

Residents living near the railway tracks said they heard a loud noise at the time of the derailment, causing panic in the area. Locals rushed out of their homes and nearby shops after hearing the sound.

Railway personnel immediately secured the area and temporarily halted movement on the affected tracks as a precautionary measure. Officials later inspected the damaged coaches and railway tracks to assess the extent of the impact.

Railway authorities said a technical team has been assigned to prepare a detailed report on the derailment. Relief and restoration operations are currently underway to clear the affected section and restore normal operations.

Series of recent railway incidents raise concerns

The derailment near Rishikesh comes amid a series of railway-related incidents reported across the country in recent days.

Earlier on Monday, a fire broke out in a coach of the Sasaram-Patna fast passenger train near Bihar's Sasaram railway station. Officials said the incident occurred at around 6 am shortly before the train was scheduled to depart for Patna. No injuries were reported.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire may have been triggered by a short circuit inside the coach.

Fire incidents reported on other trains

In another incident on Sunday, a fire broke out in two rear coaches of the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express near Kota in Rajasthan. Railway officials said all passengers from the affected coaches were evacuated safely, and no casualties were reported.

According to officials, the Overhead Equipment (OHE) power supply was immediately shut down after the fire was detected to avoid further damage or danger. The affected coach was later detached from the train.

Railway authorities also stated that the train's built-in safety systems functioned as intended, automatically stopping the train shortly after the fire broke out.

Officials are continuing investigations into all the recent railway incidents, while repair and safety inspections remain underway at the affected locations.

(With inputs from IANS)