Daijiworld Media Network- Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, Mar 30: In a tragic incident, at least one person lost his life and eight others sustained injuries after 11 coaches of the Bengaluru-Kamakhya AC Express derailed near the Cuttack-Nergundi Railway Section under the Khurda Road Division of East Coast Railway (ECoR) on Sunday.

The deceased has been identified as Suvankar Roy (22), a resident of Netaji Road-Madhyapara in Alipurduar, West Bengal. The accident reportedly occurred around 11:54 am, prompting an immediate response from railway officials, local authorities, and emergency services.

Speaking to reporters, District Magistrate Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde stated, “One person has died in the incident... Eight people injured needed a referral and have been shifted. An inquiry is being done into the incident.”

Officials from East Coast Railway, the Cuttack District administration, fire services personnel, and local police rushed to the spot to conduct rescue and restoration operations.

Chief Public Relations Officer of ECoR, Ashok Kumar Mishra, confirmed, “At around 11.54 a.m., we received information that the Kamakhya-bound Bangalore-Kamakhya (12551) superfast AC Express had derailed in the Nirgundi-Kandarpur section near Nirgundi in Cuttack. As per protocol, Accident Relief Trains (ARTs) and Accident Relief Medical Vans (ARMVs) from the Khurda Road division were immediately dispatched to the site.”

Mishra added that central and state government emergency response agencies were promptly informed, ensuring coordinated efforts for relief and rescue.

“Our main priority currently is to make arrangements to ensure the stranded passengers reach their respective destinations safely. An emergency control room has been set up to facilitate this process,” Mishra stated.

He further mentioned that manpower and resources have been mobilized to expedite restoration work and bring normalcy to the affected railway route at the earliest. A special train is being arranged to transport the stranded passengers to their destinations.

Mishra emphasized that the exact cause of the derailment would be determined only after a thorough investigation.

Following the derailment, several trains were diverted, including:

12822 Dhauli Express (BRAG)

12875 Neelachal Express (BBS)

22606 Purulia SF Express (RTN)

For public assistance, the Railways has released the following helpline numbers:

Bhubaneswar: 8114382371

Bhadrak: 9437443469

Cuttack: 7205149591

Palasa: 9237105480

Jajpur Keonjhar Road: 9124639558