Sabarmati Express train derails | ‘Foreign object’ found on track, police probe foul play: What we know so far

Sabarmati Express derails: Authorities are probing suspected foul play and role of anti-social elements in the derailment of the Ahmedabad-bound Sabarmati Express passenger train during early Saturday near Govindpuri station in Kanpur.

Around 22 coaches of the the Sabarmati Express passenger train (19168) derailed, but no injuries or fatalities were reported.

Sabarmati Express' engine hit an ‘object placed on track’: Railway minister

“The engine of Sabarmati Express (Varanasi to Amdavad) hit an object placed on the track and derailed near Kanpur at 02:35 am today," railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on X.

He added, “Sharp hit marks are observed."

The Union minister added said that the evidence is secured and Intelligence Bureau and UP Police are investigating the case.

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Railways investigating possibility of foul play

Railway Board officials are also investigating the possibility of foul play.

"We found a foreign material near the 16th coach of the train. Looking at the size of the damaged portion of cattle guard of the engine, it seems that the engine hit this foreign object and derailed," an official said.

The loco pilot of the derailed Sabarmati Express reported that the engine's cattle guard was severely damaged after "striking a boulder".

Notably, a Patna-Indore train had crossed the same track just over an hour earlier at 1:20am.

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Passengers heard loud noise and felt sudden jolt

Passengers of the Sabarmati Express were asleep when a “loud noise” suddenly jolted them awake and the train stopped.

"Shortly after we left Kanpur railway station, we heard a loud noise, and the coach started shaking. I was very scared, but the train stopped," said Vikas, a passenger travelling from Varanasi to Ahmedabad, in a video shared by PTI.

Vikas said that the train was moving at a slow speed when it derailed.

As soon as it halted, passengers began exiting their coaches and sat near tracks waiting for help.