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  • /23 dead, several injured as 14 coaches of Utkal Express derail in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar

23 dead, several injured as 14 coaches of Utkal Express derail in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar

23 dead, several injured as 14 coaches of Utkal Express derail in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar

Utkal Express derails

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NDRF teams have been deployed for rescue operations

Fourteen coaches ofPuri-Haridwar-Kalinga Utkal Express have derailed inKhatauli in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district.

Twenty three people have lost their lives and around 40 have been injured in the derailment, the Uttar Pradesh Police said.

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The derailement happened at 5.50 pm as the train was heading to Haridwar in Uttarakhand from Puri in Odisha.

Repair work was underway on the tracks, ANI quoted sources as saying. However, Railway spokesperson Anil Saxena said that at this stage nothing can be said about the cause of the accident.

Railway minister Suresh Prabhu has ordered an inquiry. He has announced a compensationof Rupees 3.5 lakh for those who lost their lives and Rupees 50,000for seriously injured.

He has asked the chairman, Railway Board, andMember Traffic to oversee rescue and relief operations.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed for rescue operations.