A train in India derailed after the tracks were sabotaged, killing over 65 people

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2010-05-31

A passenger train traveling from Calcutta to Mumbai derailed after an explosion; Maoist rebels are suspected of removing the fasteners securing the tracks. On the early morning of May 28, when the overnight train reached the West Bengal state, 13 of its boxcars suddenly derailed, throwing five of its coaches on the path of an oncoming goods train. The death toll was estimated to be over 65 and at least 200 people were injured, police said.

This express train bound for Mumbai derailed after the tracks were sabotaged in the Jhargram area of the West Bengal state at approximately 1:30 A.M. Five of its carriages overturned and smashed into the oncoming cargo train from the opposite direction, causing heavy casualties.

The death tolls are expected to rise, said an official of the Home Ministry. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described the Maoist insurgency as India’s biggest internal security challenge.