QUETTA: Three persons were reportedly killed and 26 injured, including two seriously, when 44-Down Rohri Passenger went off the track between Lindsay and Damboli railway stations at midnight [April 30].

The train, which left Quetta at 4-30 p.m. yesterday, was proceeding to Lahore from Rohri as 55-Up Passenger train.

The bodies of the dead and the injured persons were taken to Jacobabad while those who sustained minor injuries were given first aid by medical teams, which were rushed to the scene. Relief trains with medical teams were sent to the site of the accident from Sibi and Jacobabad.

Rail traffic between Quetta and Jacobabad was suspended during the day as the track was blocked due to the accident. Work was going on round the clock to clear the track. Railway authorities expected traffic to be resumed on affected track by 8 p.m. today.

Four Down Bolan Mail bound for Karachi with, Lahore coaches left Quetta this afternoon, on schedule. 44-Down Passenger Train which left for Rohri this morning returned from Sibi as it could not proceed further as the track was blocked.

All Quetta bound trains were detained at Jacobabad, including 3-Up Bolan Mail. Quetta bound 43-Up Passenger Train, which was held up at Jacobabad, returned to Rohri as 44-Down.

The Divisional Superintendent of Sukkur Railway Division has ordered a departmental inquiry into the cause of the accident.

The Deputy Commissioner of Karachi district has also ordered a police inquiry in this connection.

[Agencies add,] One of the three dead remained unidentified while other two are Hakim Khan, a foot constable of Kachhi Police (Kalat Division) and other a woman.

A football team coming from Quetta to Sukkur to participate in the Governor’s Gold Cup football floodlit tournament beginning here tonight was also travelling in the ill-fated train. All the team members are safe.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2017