Passengers of the New Delhi-Guwahati Rajdhani Express got a providential escape on Tuesday morning when the train was derailed in eastern Bihar after suspected Maoists removed two metres of railtrack.
Fourteen coaches jumped off the tracks but did not turn turtle as alert driver Mohammed Qamruddin Hassan applied the emergency brakes well before the engine reached the damaged tracks near village Amba, between Naugachia and Kharik railway stations in Bhagalpur district, at around 6.30 am. Passengers were mostly safe, except for minor injuries sustained by 11. A major accident was averted as the train was not at high speed.