Utkal Express derailment fourth big train accident in past year, investigation begins
The cause of the derailment is still not known
Authorities on Sunday launched a probe into the Utkal Express derailment that killed 23 people.
Fourteen coaches ofPuri-Haridwar-Kalinga Utkal Express derailed inKhatauli in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district on Saturday.
This is the fourth major train accident over the past year on world's fourth largest rail network, Reuters reported.
The cause of the derailment is still not known
At least 123 people were injured in the accident.
Northern Railways spokesman Neeraj Sharma told Reuters that rescue operations have ended and a safety commissioner will launch an investigation later on Sunday. The driver of the train will be one the first people to be questioned.
Sharma also said that the death toll could rise.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, a senior official in the Uttar Pradesh government said the train driver had slammed on the brakes after spotting maintenance work ion the tracks that had not been properly signalled.
"It is too early to say what was the cause," Sharma said told Reuters when asked about the report.
Another train accident in November in Uttar Pradesh had killed 150 people.
The Indian rail network is in the middle of a
middle of a $130 billion, five-year modernisation.
A$15 billion safety overhaul was also launched in February after the surge in accidents due to defective tracks.