Several people have been injured, rescue operation is underway. Picture courtesy Twitter
At least 50 people, including women and children, were injured, when Haridwar bound Utkal Express train derailed in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district, about 500 kilometres from here, on Saturday.
Though eyewitness accounts claimed that some passengers had also been killed in the mishap, police officials here did not confirm the same.
Police sources here said that the mishap occurred near Khatauli railway station, which is 22 kilometres from the district headquarters.
Sources said that six coaches of the train, which was on its way to Haridwar in Uttarakhand from Puri in Odisha, derailed near a village. One of the coaches also rammed into the houses, which were close to the railway tracks.
Officials said that medical teams had been rushed to the spot from Meerut, Saharanpur and other nearby districts. Ambulances have also been rushed to the spot, sources said.
The injured were admitted to the nearby hospitals in Meerut and Muzaffarnagar, the officials said adding that hospitals in the NCR region had been put on alert following the mishap. Some of the injured were stated to be in a critical condition.
Sources quoting eye witnesses said that some of the derailed coaches had climbed on other coaches.