Kanpur, Etawah, Allahabad:
Fog wrecked havoc over North India on Saturday, with three train accidents in Uttar Pradesh due to poor visibility.
10 people were killed when the Gorakhdhaam Express rammed into the Prayagraj Express near the Panki railway station in Kanpur around 9 am. Rescue operations continued till late in the afternoon, following which the track was cleared of the bogies.
The Delhi-Allahabad Prayagraj Express was at the station when the Gorakhdham Express hit it from behind in dense fog, PRO of North Central Railway (Allahabad) Amit Malviya told said. While the brake van of the Prayagraj Express derailed, the engine of the Gorakhdham Express was damaged.
Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, who was travelling to Allahabad on the Prayagraj Express, was unhurt, railway sources said.
An hour earlier near Etawah, at least 13 persons were injured when the Delhi-bound Licchavi Express rammed into the stationary Delhi-Islampur Magadh Express.
"No casualty has been reported in the Etawah accident. There are only reports of injuries. The injured have been sent to hospital," said the District Magistrate of Kanpur. A relief train was sent from Kanpur to help the passengers.
In a third incident, the Saryu express from Allahabad to Faizabad collided with a maintenance trolley near Allahabad. Two people were injured.
Trains disruptedRail traffic on the Delhi-Kanpur section has been severely disrupteddue to the accidents. According to Railway sources, eight trains wererescheduled, 52 were running late and 9 each were cancelled anddiverted. Passengers who were hoping to travel early remained stuck forseveral hours on Saturday morning.