Five passengers were killed when Kolkata-bound Konark Express ran over them, near Batuva of G. Sigadam mandal of Srikakulam district on Monday night.
According to the local police, the Secunderabad-Guwahati Superfast Express stopped near the Batuva railway gate following a technical glitch. The passengers in general compartment got down to get some relief from suffocation in the train.
Most of the passengers who got down from the train were relaxing on the other track when the speeding Konark Express which was coming on the track ran over them, resulting in their instantaneous death.
According to local people, the death toll might go up as many other passengers received serious injuries. The injured were shifted to the nearby Cheepurupalli hospital.
Minister for Education Botsa Satyanarayana, who represents Cheepurupalli constituency, talked to senior officials in the railways and the district administration to take up immediate relief measures. Senior railway officials from Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam are also monitoring the situation.
