MULTAN, March 11: Rail traffic between Multan and Khanewal remained suspended for over six hours after a shuttle engine derailed near Riazabad, some 25 km from here, on Monday.

Divisional Transportation Officer (DTO) Zubair Shafi Ghauri told APP that the B-shuttle up train, used mostly by commuters, was going from Multan to Khanewal. Its engine derailed near Riazabad railway station at about 7.15 am, probably due to sudden application of brakes.

He said that the Tezgam and Quetta Express had crossed Riazabad railway station by then. However, 1-up Khyber Mail and 17-up Abasin were delayed by one hour and one-and-a-half hour respectively.

Mr Ghauri said that the passengers of the B-shuttle train and 201-Up Shorkot-bound train were interchanged.

The DTO said the track was cleared at about 1.30 pm with the help of a crane and the rail traffic was restored.

He said the 100-ton engine ploughed into the ground after it was derailed. Nobody was hurt as the speed of the train was very slow.

Meanwhile, a minor girl died while her sister injured when a train ran over them near Sher Shah level crossing on Monday, reports our correspondent.

Reports revealed Memona, 6, and her sister Sobia, 3, were crossing the railway line when Chenab 11-up ran over them.

Sobia died instantly while Memona was taken to the Nishtar Hospital, Multan, in precarious condition.

The body was handed over to the family the same day without autopsy.