Goods train rams into passenger train in Madhya Pradesh (Second Lead)

BHOPAL - A goods train smashed into a stationary passenger train near Guna in Madhya Pradesh early Monday, railway officials said, giving out death tolls that varied from four to nearly 10.

The accident took place at the Badarbas railway station, about 50 km from Guna, where the intercity Indore-Gwalior Express was awaiting signal.

There was a deafening sound when the goods train rammed into the passenger train.

While a railway official in New Delhi said that “the casualty must be under 10 as the speed of the goods train was very slow”, Piyush Mathur, chief spokesman, Western Railway, said that “three-four casualties are there”.

The dazed passengers stumbled out of the passenger train as railway officials scrambled to launch rescue efforts.

Several passengers were stuck in the mangled remains of the coaches and rescuers faced difficulty in reaching them. The injured cried out in pain and pleaded with rescuers to pull them out of the damaged coaches.

A heavy downpour hampered rescue efforts.

The injured were taken to Guna and Gwalior hospitals as a team of doctors rushed to the accident site.