UP: Alert driver of Ram Nagar-Bandra Express averts tragedy, applies emergency brakes

An accident was averted on Saturday as an alert train driver applied emergency breaks to avoid hitting a truck that was lying very close to the tracks after a collision, a railway official said.

Ram Nagar-Bandra express passengers had a narrow escape as their train avoided a collision with a truck lying very close to the rail tracks near Pirsua village near here at about 12:45 AM.

"Finding the truck fallen near the rail track, the driver applied emergency breaks and carried Ram Nagar-Bandra express slowly between Kilometre No. 331 and 332 where two trucks had collided earlier and one of them had had fallen very close to the track," said Rajendra Singh, PRO North Eastern Railway, Izzatnagar division.

He said the foot plate of the engine was damaged in process but the passengers were safe.

The train made an unscheduled stoppage at Raya station, and moved ahead after 90 minutes as the engine of the train had to be replaced, Singh said.

A three-member departmental enquiry chaired by Assistant Security Commissioner K C Meena has been ordered, Singh said.