By IANS,
Lucknow : At least four people were killed and 40 others injured in three train accidents in Uttar Pradesh on a fog-hit Saturday morning, officials said.
The accidents took place in Kanpur, Etawah and Allahabad districts.
In the Kanpur accident, four people were killed and 35 injured when the Gorakhdham Express collided with the Prayagraj Express near Panki railway station, some 90 km from Lucknow.
In Etawah, the driver of Lichchavi Express was critically injured when the train rammed into the Magadh Express near Sarai Bhupat railway station, some 300 km from Lucknow.
Both trains were headed for Bihar.
The third accident took place in Allahabad, some 200 km from here. Four people were injured when the Saryu Express collided with a railway maintenance trolley, officials said.
“At least four people were killed in the train collision that took place in Kanpur,” Additional Director General (Railways) A.K. Jain, told reporters in Lucknow.
“Senior officials of the police, district administration assisted Government Railway Police (GRP) officials in carrying out rescue operations,” he said, adding that the injured driver of the Lichchavi Express had been extricate from inside the cabin.
A high-level inquiry has been ordered to probe the accidents in Etawah and Kanpur districts.
“It appears that both the accidents took place due to heavy fog. However, a high-level inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the exact reasons,” R.D. Vajapayee, chief public relations officer (CPRO) of North Central Railway, told reporters.