According to local media reports, at least one person was killed and several others were wounded. India's rail network has unfortunately experienced numerous fatal accidents in recent years.
Passenger Train Derails in Uttar Pradesh, India
At least one passenger was killed and several others were injured after ten coaches derailed in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, according to local media reports. The train involved was a 22-car passenger service covering a 2,640-kilometre route across the country, and it is believed to have derailed.
Television footage showed passengers sitting outside the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express, which connects northern India to Assam in the east, surrounded by piles of luggage.
Uttar Pradesh state chief minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his sadness over the incident on social media platform X, stating, "The train accident in Gonda district is extremely tragic. District administration officials have been instructed to conduct relief and rescue operations urgently and ensure the injured receive medical attention."
NDTV reported that at least four carriages had overturned at the accident site in Gonda district.
India's railway network remains the most widely used mode of transportation in the country, despite infrastructure challenges stemming from inadequate funding, leading to frequent deadly accidents.
Analysts note that while accidents have decreased over time, the aging system requires significant upgrades. According to official records, an average of about 20,000 people died annually between 2017 and 2021 in rail accidents caused by derailments, collisions, and other factors.
India's top auditing authority has identified poor maintenance, outdated signaling equipment, and human error as primary causes of derailments. Last year, nearly 300 people lost their lives in a collision between a passenger train and a stationary freight train.