Bengaluru: Seven passengers were Friday killed and several others injured when the Bangalore-Ernakulam Inter City Express derailed Friday morning near Hossur here. As per reports, the deceased also include some Malalyalis.
Quoting sources, some of the news channels reported two Malayalis have been killed in the accident.
The death toll is likely to rise as some of the injured passengers are still critical.
The details of the dead are yet to be revealed.
The train was bound to Bangalore from Ernakulam in Kerala.
As per information available, the D8 coach-second class sitting is severely affected. There were around 60 Malayalis in the D8 coach.
Four coaches have derailed in the accident, the official added.
Earlier, a passenger onboard, Cyriac Mathew, told the media over telephone that the accident occurred around 7.45 a.m. and that he had seen three bodies. Although officials confirmed the death of only two passengers, the toll touched seven later.
"...The worst affected was the coach D-8. I could see the bodies of two men and a woman in the coach...," said Mathew, who is regular traveller on the train.
"Police and the ambulance arrived an hour after the accident," Mattew said.
He said some passengers have suffered minor injuries and that rescue operations are underway.