Coaches of an express train from Howrah, a sister city of Calcutta some 1650 km southeast of New Delhi, derailed at about 1040 p.m. local time on Monday on a bridge near Rafiganj station in the state of Bihar, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported on Tuesday.

Railway officials in Calcutta said that the accident could have occurred as a result of sabotage since a 13 meter rail length and fish plates on the left track were found to have been removed.

After passing the Rafiganj Station, the engine of the train crossed the portion where the rail had been removed but the following coaches wobbled off the track with one falling off and the others, save one, overturning.

The driver of the train informed the railway control over his high frequency telephone at 10:54 p.m. after the accident.

Rescue operations was hampered initially because of darkness and continuous rains.

(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2002)