Hundreds of passengers on board the Shiv Ganga Express had a providential escape on Friday when its coaches decoupled from the engine thrice over a stretch of 44 km. The train was going from New Delhi to Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency.
The decoupling took place between Ramnathpur and Gopiganj in Allahabad. Officials said the first time decoupling happened at Ramnathpur, second time at Gopiganj and the third some 60 metres from Gopiganj.
No one was injured in the incident as the train was running at a normal speed of 80-100 km per hour.
"The loco driver showed alertness and did not apply emergency brakes or the consequences could have been devastating," a railway official said.