Indore-Patna express train derailment: Injured mysteriously given banned notes

Some of the passengers injured in the train accident in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday were mysteriously given cash, mostly in the form of the now-scrapped Rs 500 notes, while they were in hospital.

Stumped by the development, authorities have promised to look into the matter.

The commissioner of Kanpur zone, Iftikharuddin, said he would get the matter inquired into by the chief medical officer of Mati Hospital in Kanpur Dehat district where the cases were reported.

Over 140 passengers were killed and more than 200 injured, nearly half of them grievously, when 14 coaches of the Indore-Patna Express ran off the tracks near Kanpur area in the early hours of Sunday because of a suspected rail fracture.

Among those who were given cash by unknown persons were Asha Mishra and Anil. Both received 10 notes of Rs 500, which had been declared invalid on November 8.

A relative of one of the injured claimed that the person who handed over the money told her the money was given to them by the Railways.

There was, however, no confirmation as to whether the money was actually sent by the railways.

Commenting on the development, a BJP leader RP Singh said, "We don't know really who distributed it, whether it was some political party or employees of the railways. I immediately tweeted to (Railways Minister) Suresh Prabhu and got confirmation from him that he will look into this matter."

Terming it as a "very sad" development, he said, "If railway authorities have done it, even then it is sad and if some politician has done it, then it's more upsetting because you can't rub salt on people's wounds."

(PTI)