Eighteen people were killed and 80 injured, six of them seriously, when nine of the 23 bogies of a Bangalore-bound train derailed at Ramalingaipalli village near Gooty town in Andhra Pradesh early Saturday.

South Central Railway spokesman Michael Fredericks said the Kachiguda-Bangalore Express (No 7685), which was travelling at a speed of 90 km/hour, derailed between Pendekallu and Pagidirai stations on Dronachalam/Gooty section of Guntakal division.

The train left Kachiguda station, Hyderabad, at 1900 IST on Friday and was scheduled to reach its destination in twelve hours. At around 0040 IST, the engine and two bogies derailed, followed by seven other coaches -- S-1, S-2, S-3, S-4, S-6, S-14 and SL.

The injured were shifted to hospitals at Guntakal and Kurnool, the official said.

Andhra Pradesh Technical Education Minister Nerella Anjaneyulu and several legislators, who were in the train, were reported to be safe.

"Relief and rescue operations are in full swing. Arrangements have been made to send the stranded passengers to Bangalore or Hyderabad through RTC buses and special trains," the official added.

Union Minister of State for Railways Bandaru Dattatreya, SCR General Manager S M Singla and other officials rushed to the site. Relief vans [trains] from Gooty and Secunderabad, carrying doctors and paramedical staff, had also reached the spot. The railway authorities in Bangalore and Hyderabad also despatched relief trains.

The SCR has opened counters at Secunderabad for providing information. The numbers are 040-27704056, 040-27786950 and 040-27820326. The Bangalore Railway helpline numbers are 080-2876288, 080-2203269, 080-2876288, 080-2874544 and the number at Pendekallu is 08520-277500.

Railway Minister Nitish Kumar said in Patna that a statutory inquiry had been ordered into the accident.

He announced an ex-gratia of Rs 100,000 to the kin of the dead, Rs 15,000 to those with serious injuries and Rs 5,000 to those with simple injuries.

He did not rule out sabotage. "At present we are not in a position to say anything about the prima facie evidence collected by the concerned railway officials."

The minister said he was unable to go to the accident site due to fog in Patna.

He said railways was trying to reduce the accident rate by introducing several measures, including proper training to operating staff

With inputs from Anand Mohan Sahay in Patna

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