Three persons travelling on the roof of the Saryu Express train died and 60 others were seriously injured as they fell off the jam-packed train on Allahabad-Pratapgarh railway section, in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh police said.
The victims were on their way to participate in an army recruitment drive scheduled to be held in Faizabad district Tuesday. Majority of the youths killed or injured in the accident boarded the train at Allahabad junction Monday night.
Police said 500-odd youths attempted to board the Faizabad-bound train at Allahabad junction. As all the coaches were already jam-packed, a number of youths settled on the roof of the bogies.
Shortly after the train crossed Allahabad district, the youths were swept away by the branches of a tree between Chilbila and Ram Nagar railway stations, resulting in their fall on both sides of the track.
While two persons were killed last night, one of the 60 others injured succumbed at a hospital in Allahabad district Tuesday.
Bodies of those killed on the spot were recovered along side the tracks in Goregaon area in Pratapgarh district.
The injured were rushed to hospitals at Allahabad, Faizabad, Pratapgargh and Sultanpur districts.
Senior police officers at Sultanpur told reporters that 24 injured were admitted to various hospitals in the four districts.