Title - The Hindu : NATIONAL / KARNATAKA : Train passengers have a miraculous escape

A large number of passengers of the Kolhapur bound Hyderabad-Kolhapur Express train had a miraculous escape when the train rammed an empty goods train. Sources said none of the passengers was hurt. As a result of the accident, the engine of the passenger train and three wagons of the goods train derailed, affecting the movement of train services.

Enquiries said that the accident occurred five minutes after the departure of the passenger train from Bellary Railway Station.

The engine of the passenger train appeared to have hit the middle of the goods train, which was heading towards Rayadurg in Andhra Pradesh. According to sources, the reasons could have been a blind curve at a certain point. The crew of the goods train, who belonged to the Hubli Division of South Western Railway, had stopped it there for handing over the charge of the rake to the crew belonging to the Mysore Division, who were waiting when the accident occurred, sources told The Hindu.

However, the question as to who allowed the passenger train to move when the track was still not clear remained unanswered. According to sources, the first starter signal was given at the railway station when the train started moving. But, the intermediate starter signal was not on. Jumping the intermediate starter signal was stated to be the probable reason for the accident.

Sources, however, said that intermediate starter signal could be given only when the railway gate was closed, and the bypass track was clear.

“It is God’s grace that we have remained unhurt. Although the jerk could be felt after the brakes were applied, nothing happened to any passenger,” one of the passengers said. Some office-goers, who travel daily to Hospet and Koppal, got off the train and took alternative means of transport to reach their destination.

Due to the accident, passenger trains between Bellary and Hospet — Bangalore-Hospet, Bellary-Hubli and Bellary-Dharwad — were cancelled.

Meanwhile, the Hyderabad-Kolhapur Express Train left the accident spot at about 11.30 p.m. towards its destination with a new engine. The work of clearing the track was on, under the supervision of senior officials, and was expected to be completed soon.