CHENNAI:  Nineteen people were injured when the Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express collided with a stationary goods train near Chennai on Friday evening, resulting in the derailment of 13 coaches. The accident ignited a fire in two coaches of the passenger train at the Kavaraippettai railway station in Tiruvallur district.

Preliminary reports indicate that the train crew felt a significant jerk on the track, causing the express train to divert onto a loop line and crash into the parked goods train. Railway officials stated that the train was travelling at 109 km/h when the crew suddenly experienced this jolt. The passenger train then entered a loop line and struck the stationary goods train.

Images from the scene showed flames erupting from one of the coaches as passengers attempted to rescue those trapped inside. One passenger described the confusion, stating that no one understood what had occurred when they heard a loud noise, followed by the train overturning. Railway officials are now investigating the possibility of sabotage, questioning how the express train could enter a loop line, where the speed limit is only 30 km/h, despite receiving a green signal for the main line.

Authorities are examining whether there was tampering with the outdoor signalling equipment and switch points at Kavarapettai station that may have caused the train to switch from the main line to the loop line.

In the meantime, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has launched an investigation into whether sabotage was the underlying cause of the Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express veering off the main line and colliding with the parked goods train at Kavarapettai station. An NIA team has already visited the crash site, and further inquiries are ongoing.