Mahakaushal Express derailment: UP CM Yogi orders probe, Railways blames crack in tracks

Indian Railways on Thursday said that prima facie investigation into the derailment of eight coaches of Mahakaushal Express near Mahoba station in Uttar Pradesh earlier in the day points to cracks in the tracks.

Speaking on the sidelines of a function, Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said that “according to the Divisional Railway Manager, prima facie fresh weld failure on left side caused the derailment.”

The statement by Railways comes in close heed of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath direction to top officials in his government to find the reasons behind the derailment of the express.

Read | MoS Railways Manoj Sinha orders enquiry in Mahakaushal train derailment

Adityanath has asked Principal Secretary (Home) and the state Director General of Police (DGP) to apprise him of the reasons behind the derailment, a statement released in Lucknow said.

The chief minister gave the instructions in view of the “recent suspicious incidents” involving rail mishaps in the state, the statement added.

Although the Railways will undertake an inquiry into the causes behind the derailment, Adityanth has asked the state officials to look into the matter at their level, an official release said.

Fifty-two passengers were injured, 10 of them seriously, as eight bogies of the Jabalpur-Nizamuddin Mahakaushal Express derailed early on Thursday in Mahoba district.

(With Inputs from PTI)

Read | Eight coaches of Jabalpur-Nizamuddin Mahakaushal Express derail near Mohoba in UP