Belgaum (Karnataka), Oct 1: 25 passengers were injured today when a passenger train derailed near Tumaraguddi between Suladhal and Soolebhavi stations near here this evening, senior police and railway officials said.
Earlier, Railway Ministry spokesman in New Delhi had said 2 passengers were killed in the incident involving Miraj-Hubli passenger train and Railway Minister C P Joshi had announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased.
However, a few hours later, the same spokesman said there was no death and 25 people were injured in the incident.
Belgaum SP Sandeep Patil and Additional SP S H Ganga Raddi also denied there was any casualty in the derailment and maintained 25 people were injured.
Of the 25 injured, the condition of 24 was stated to be out of danger and while one is critical, Patil and Raddi said.
The derailment was caused as the railway track was washed away following caving in of the earth due to incessant rains, the railway ministry spokesman said.
Rescue teams shifted all the injured to hospitals.
The engine and four bogies of the train went off the track, railway sources said adding rescue operations have been completed.
