In a second incident of its kind in last four days, an assistant engine driver was killed and 22 passengers received injuries, when the engine and two coaches of Pakala-Bellary passenger train derailed between Kurapalakota and Thummalakunta stations in Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday morning.
The train derailed between Madanapalle and Tummanagunta at around 0200 hours IST in the metre gauge section of Guntakal division under South Central Railway, Chittoor additional SP B Narasimha Rao said.
The deceased has been identified as D Mani, while another engine driver, who received head injuries has been identified as N S Gupta.
Andhra Pradesh State Transport Corporation buses were pressed into service for transportation of stranded passengers, while those with injuries were administered first aid.
Divisional Railway Manager and other officials have reached the spot and started rescue work, a railway spokesman said.
A fishplate was found removed at the site, he said not ruling out any sabotage by extremists.
Minister of State for Railways Bandaru Dattatreya blamed sabotage for the derailment.
"According to information I received, 13 boulders were found on the track resulting in the engine getting capsized. Some sleepers and a fishplate were also missing, which clearly points towards the hand of some anti-social elements in the accident," he said.
The minister said preventing sabotage of rail services was the responsibility of the state governments.
"The state police, with the Railway Police, needs to undertake patrolling of sensitive areas on the routes. The department officials regularly coordinate with the state government to supervise the safety scenario," he said.
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