Kalka Mail accident: Toll rises to 68, rescue operations still on

The death toll in Sunday's derailment of Delhi-bound Kalka Mail here rose to 68 today with rescuers pulling out 30 more bodies, including that of two Swedish nationals, from the mangled compartments of the ill-fated train.

Over 250 people were injured in the incident and they have admitted to various hospitals in this district in Uttar Pradesh and in Kanpur even as rescuers pulled out more people from the train.

"68 bodies have been recovered so far. 259 people are undergoing treatment at a hospital here," Fatehpur Superintendent of Police Ram Bharose said. The deceased include 14 women.

Sandeep Mathur, Chief Public Relations Officer of North Central Railway, said in Allahabad that two Swedish nationals were among the dead.

While one Swedish national has been identified as Wick from the statement of his injured compatriot Oscar, who was also travelling with him, the identity of the other is yet to be ascertained.

The derailment took place at 12.20 pm on Sunday when the packed train from Howrah reached near Malwa station, nearly 120 kms from Lucknow. The train was moving at a speed of 108 km/hour.

Rescue operations continued through the night to extricate the trapped passengers and bodies from the badly damaged AC and other compartments.

A special train that left Kanpur carrying 167 passengers of the ill-fated train reached New Delhi this morning.

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