Nightmare at Khatauli for Utkal Express passengers, locals

The tragic accident in Khatauli area in the district was not a nightmare for just the passengers of the ill-fated Utkal Express, but also for the locals whose houses lined the tracks, and are now splattered with blood.

The accident occurred around 5.45 pm near Khatauli town in this district and left 23 people dead and over 60 injured, the Uttar Pradesh Police said.

Khatauli is around 40 km from Muzaffarnagar.

Manoj Baliyan (42), who was enjoying the cool breeze till this evening, now counts himself as having survived the accident by god's grace.

Baliyan and his family are still terrified as a mangled sleeper coach (S2) of the train, which had rammed into his house's porch, shattering its facade, is still leaning precariously on the house.

"There was a massive thud and one of the coaches flew over the pantry car and rammed our house's porch," he told

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)