Train engine overturns at Kannur Railway station

THE HINDU SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

The loco engine of the Kannur-Alappuzha Express that overturned near the Kannur railway station while shunting on Tuesday morning.—Photo: S. K. Mohan

The incident occurred at around 4-30 a.m. when the train with empty compartments moved to the north of the railway station on the track for shunting.

The loco engine of the Kannur-Alappuzha Executive Express derailed and overturned after overshooting the dead-end on the northern side of the Kannur railway station here while shunting in the early hours of Tuesday.

The loco pilot identified as Jayesh escaped with minor injuries. The incident occurred at around 4-30 a.m. when the train with empty compartments moved to the north of the railway station on the track for shunting. According to Railway officials, the engine hit the dead-end of the track and slipped down a track culvert and overturned. A compartment attached to the engine derailed. The incident occurred nearly half-an-hour before the train was to leave the station at 5 a.m. According to initial findings, the mishap occurred because of poor visibility due to rains. The Railway authorities ordered an inquiry into the accident.

Top officials of the Palakkad Division of the Railways including Additional Divisional Railway Manager T. Rajkumar visited the spot. P.K. Sreemathy, MP, also visited the spot.

As the mishap had not occurred on the main tracks, normal train services were not affected, Railway officials said. They said that three railway cranes had reached Kannur for lifting the overturned loco engine. As these cranes have to be operated from a main track, the work of lifting the loco engine would be started at 10 p.m. and finished by 6 a.m. on Wednesday so as to avert any disruption of normal train services.