Train derails near Bengaluru, 12 dead

Bengaluru/Chennai/Kochi, Feb 13: Twelve passengers died and 30 were injured when the Bengaluru-Erankulam inter-city express derailed near Bengaluru early Friday, said Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. Chandy, who spoke to Karnataka Home Minister K.J. George, told reporters in Kochi (for which Ernakulam is the railhead, and said a Kerala delegation led by Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed has left for the accident site. The incident occurred at 7.35 a.m. when the engine and eight coaches of the express train jumped the track and derailed after it left Anekal station (near Bengaluru) towards Hosur (in Tamil Nadu) on the inter-state border, an official told IANS here. The train departed from Bengaluru's main city station at 6.15 a.m. and covered 35 km when the mishap took place between the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border on the Bengaluru-Salem section between Anekal road and Hosur town. "So far two Keralites have been reported dead and we are told that two coaches are worst affected. Separate helplines have been opened at the Ernakulam, Thrissur, Thiruvananthapuram," said Chandy. Reports said the toll is likely to go up as the worst affected D8 and D9 coaches had around 109 passengers.