30 dead, 150 injured as train derails in UP's Rae Bareli ...

At least 30 persons were killed and around 150 others injured when the engine and two coaches of the Dehradun-Varanasi Janta Express derailed near Bachrawan railway station in UP's Rae Bareli on Friday.

According to preliminary reports, the locomotive driver apparently overshot the signal and as a result, the engine and two adjoining coaches derailed, railway spokesperson Anil Saxena said in Delhi.

"There could be more casualties in the mishap," Divisional Commissioner, Lucknow, Mahesh Gupta said. The accident occurred around 9.30am near Bachhrawan Railway station, about 50 km from state capital, Lucknow.

"Four medical teams with doctors, paramedics, and first-aid kits were rushed to the site. A total of 40 ambulances were also rushed," chief medical officer in Lucknow said.

Railway minister Suresh Prabhu has instructed chairman railway board A K Mittal and member traffic Ajay Shukla to rush to the spot.

Railways has ordered an inquiry and announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of those killed in the accident.

While Rs 50,000 will be given to those injured seriously, Rs 20,000 will be given to people with minor injuries.

As soon as the news of the accident spread, people from nearby villages rushed to the spot to help in rescue and relief operations.

The villagers helped in extricating passengers trapped in the mangled coaches of the train.

The spot of the accident presented a devastated sight with one of the bogies reduced to a mangle of steel.

Train movement on the Lucknow-Varanasi section of the Northern Railway has been disrupted due to the accident.

Several critical persons have also been put on ventilators. Some injured passengers have also been rushed to the district hospital. The seriously injured would be sent to King George Medical University and Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences -- both in Lucknow.