Three killed as train rams into earth cutting machine

RANGIA: Three persons were killed and over 50 injured when a passenger train derailed after hitting an earth-cutting vehicle at an unmanned railway crossing in Assam's Kamrup (Rural) district today.

The driver of the earth-cutting vehicle and two other persons were killed when their vehicle stranded at the level crossing at Gossainghati between Azara and Mirza was hit by the Bongaigaon-Guwahati Chilarai Passenger passenger train at 9:30 AM, railway sources said.

The collision derailed the engine and five bogies of the passenger train leaving 50 passengers injured, the sources said.

The injured passengers were rushed by local people to the Mirza Public Health Centre from where the critically injured were referred to the Gauhati Medical College Hospital and MMC Civil Hospital in Guwahati, police sources said.

Two of the dead on the earth cutting vehicle were identified as Bipul Rabha and Saloi.

The wheels of some of the derailed coaches broke and a portion of the railway tracks was damaged in the accident, the sources added.

Personnel of the Disaster Management Authority swung into action for rescue and relief operations with railway rescue vans and high officials rushing to the spot.