The accident took place between the Delhi Safdarjung and Lajpat Nagar stations when the train was crossing the flyover gate around 11.15 a.m. The victims have been identified as Ranjan Sharma (18) and G.B. Rao (21). Ranjan is the son of a Railway employee and was carrying a pass with a Railway Colony address. Rao had come from Andhra Pradesh and was on his way to Pragati Maidan.

Northern Railway spokesperson Chandralekha Mukherjee said that workers of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) were at work and there were some iron rods dug into the ground very close to the track. ``The rods were at an incline and the men were hanging out of the train,'' she said.

Divisional Security Commandant, Delhi Division, said the iron rods put in by the CPWD infringed on the railway space. Over two meters on either side of the track is supposed to be free from hindrances. The police were instructed to alert visitors. ``But the crowds do not listen. We cannot hit everyone with a lathi each time. Even though we kept telling the youth that two people had died because they were hanging out of the train nobody listens,'' explained a Delhi Armed Police constable posted at the Pragati Maidan railway station. Suresh Kumar, incharge of the Pragati Maidan station, said: ``It is not that the trains are packed. There is enough space inside the train but these people hang out unnecessarily.'' he said.