Seven people were killed and at least 30 were injured when a train derailed in Uttar Pradesh yesterday, police officials said.
Eight coaches of the New Farakka express train went off the tracks near the city of Raebareli shortly past 6am, senior police officer Anand Kumar said.
The train was travelling from Malda in eastern West Bengal state to national capital New Delhi.
At least nine of the injured were in critical condition, Kumar said.
Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force and police had rescued all the passengers who are trapped in the coaches.
The cause of the derailment was not immediately known, Kumar added.
Most passengers were asleep when the disaster occurred.
One passenger who did not give his name told journalists that he woke up after hearing a loud thud and realised that many compartments had gone off the tracks.
“Two coaches turned turtle,” the passenger said. “The first to come to the help of the trapped passengers were fellow passengers as well as villagers.”
Railways Minister Piyush Goyal announced compensation of Rs500,000 for the families of each of the dead and Rs100,000 to those seriously injured.
It may take another 24 hours to clear the tracks and trains on the route were suspended, NDTV news channel reported citing railways officials.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also announced a compensation of Rs200,000 each for the families of the dead.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi expressed condolences.
Accidents are common on India’s railway network, which is among the biggest in the world.