Nanded express derailment: MLA and four others dead, injured return to Bengaluru

BENGALURU: It was 2.30am when the first AC coach of Bengaluru-Nanded express was rammed by a granite loaded lorry that derailed four coaches of the train. The incident happened between Rangepalli and Penukonda stations in Andhra Pradesh.
One of the five dead are sitting MLA A Venkatesh Naik from Raichur who was in one of the coupes in the coach. The other two are Pulla Rao and TDS Raju, who hail from Sanjaynagar in Bengaluru. The AC coach mechanic Syed Ahmed also died in the accident and the fifth person was the lorry driver himself.
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Officials say that the lorry driver did not heed the red flash lights and hooter sounded at the level crossing number 77. It hit the AC first class coach where the three men were sleeping in separate coupes. The AC three tier coach and two sleeper coaches S1 and S2 also derailed but luckily no one suffered major injuries.
The passengers were all brought back to Bengaluru by 22 buses and their ticket money will be refunded said officials of Bengaluru division of South Western Railway.
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The train departed at 10.45am from Bengaluru City Railway station. This is the second time that this I'll fated train took toll on lives. On December 28, 2013 the Nanded bound train caught fire in one of the coaches and killed 26 people.

MLA Venkatesh Naik (centre in white Kurtz), in a file photo of December 2014.
READ ALSO: Some trains diverted due to accident
About 6 trains have been diverted but most of the trains have reached Bengaluru and are on time. Officials said that they will clear the line by 2pm for smooth traffic on the route.