SharePoint Press at 19:01, 5 May 2026

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{{Short description|Railway accident in West Bengal, India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox public transit accident
| name = Tamil Nadu train collision
| image =
| caption =
| pushpin_map = India
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Crash location on a map of India
| coordinates = {{coord|13.3629|80.1486}}
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-zoom = 9
| image_map_caption = Location of collision
| date = {{Start date|2024|10|11|df=y}}
| time = around 20:30 [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| location = Near [[Kavaraipettai railway station]], [[Tiruvallur district]], [[Tamil Nadu]]
| location_dir =
| location_city =
| location_dist_km =
| location_dist_mi =
| country = India
| line = [[Gudur–Chennai section]]
| operator = [[Indian Railways]]
| owner = [[Government of India]]
| service =
| type = [[Train collision|Rear-End Collision]], [[derailment]]
| cause = Under investigation maybe sabotage of nuts and bolts removed on 51B points close to loop line

| trains = 2 trains
* A [[freight train|goods train]]
* [[Bagmati Express]] (Train No. 12577) between [[Darbhanga Junction railway station|Darbhanga Jn.]] and [[Mysore Junction railway station|Mysore Jn.]]
| vehicles = [[WAP-7]] locomotive
| deaths =
| passengers =
| crew =
| injuries = 19+
| footnotes =
}}

On 11 October 2024, two [[trains collide]]d near [[Chennai]] in the [[States and union territories of India|Indian state]] of [[Tamil Nadu]]. [[Bagmati Express]], a passenger train, collided with a stationary [[freight train|goods train]] near [[Kavaraipettai railway station]] in [[Tiruvallur district]]. The accident resulted in the derailment of 13 coaches of the Bagmati Express in which at least 19 people were injured.

== Crash ==
On 11 October 2024, [[Bagmati Express]], (Train No. 12577), a passenger train with [[WAP-7]] was traveling from [[Darbhanga Junction railway station|Darbhanga]] in [[Bihar]] to [[Mysore Junction railway station|Mysore]] in [[Karnataka]]. The train was traveling near [[Kavaraipettai railway station]] on the [[Gudur–Chennai section]] of the [[Howrah-Chennai main line]] in [[Tiruvallur district]], [[Tamil Nadu]] at 20:30 [[Indian Standard Time|IST]].<ref name="HT">{{cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/tamil-nadu-train-accident-passenger-describes-complete-chaos-after-massive-train-collision-near-chennai-101728721776912.html|title=Passenger describes 'complete chaos' after massive train collision near Chennai|newspaper=[[The Hindustan Times]]|date=12 October 2024|access-date=14 October 2024}}</ref><ref name="Hindu">{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-train-accident-railways-orders-high-level-inquiry-into-collision-at-kavaraipettai/article68746555.ece|title=Tamil Nadu train accident: Railways orders high-level inquiry into collision at Kavaraipettai; sabotage angle under lens|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=12 October 2024|access-date=14 October 2024}}</ref> The train rammed onto a [[freight train|goods train]], which was stationary on an adjacent loop line. The collision resulted in the derailment of 13 coaches of the Bagmati Express, some of which caught fire.<ref name="IT">{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/chennai-mysore-darbhanga-bagmati-express-collision-accident-tamil-nadu-derailment-fire-2615690-2024-10-12|title=Tamil Nadu train accident: 19 injured, anti-terror agency NIA at spot|work=[[India Today]]|date=12 October 2024|access-date=14 October 2024}}</ref> Two wagons of the goods train were also damaged.<ref name="NIE">{{cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2024/Oct/12/first-train-passes-through-kavaraipettai-station-as-railway-clears-a-line-after-fridays-derailment|title=First train passes through Kavaraipettai station, as Railway clears a line after Friday's derailment|newspaper=[[The New Indian Express]]|date=14 October 2024|access-date=14 October 2024}}</ref> At least 19 people were injured including four people who were seriously injured in the accident.<ref name="NDTV">{{cite news|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/live-updates-express-and-goods-trains-collide-in-tamil-nadu-passengers-injured-6769225|title=Passenger Train Rams Goods Train In Tamil Nadu|work=[[NDTV]]|date=12 October 2024|access-date=14 October 2024}}</ref>

== Aftermath ==
The injured were treated at the [[Stanley Medical College|Stanley Medical College Hospital]] in Chennai.<ref name="NDTV"/> The [[Indian Railways]] cancelled two trains and diverted multiple trains.<ref name="IT"/> The other passengers in the train were transported to [[Ponneri]] by buses and later to [[Chennai Central]] through [[Electric Multiple Unit]]s of Indian Railways. A special train carried them towards the original destination on 12 October. The tracks were cleared by 14 October and traffic was restored at 9:15 IST.<ref name="NIE"/>

== Causes ==
The train crew indicated that the train switched tracks after automatically after a sudden jolt.<ref name="IT"/> The Indian Railways constituted a high level committee for inquiry into the accident and the [[Government of India]] ordered the [[National Investigation Agency]] to investigate if the accident was caused due to sabotage.<ref name="HT"/><ref name="Hindu"/> The Commissioner of Railway Safety began the investigation on 12 October.<ref name="NDTV"/> The General Manager of [[Southern Railway zone]] said that the train had no scheduled halt in the region and was given green signal to proceed. He also stated that the driver followed the signals and the train should have taken the main line rather than the loop line.<ref name="IT"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-goods-train-dharbhanga-express-collision-live-updates-october-11-2024/article68744903.ece|title=Tamil Nadu train accident Highlights: Restoration at Kavaraipettai train accident site to be completed by October 13|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=12 October 2024|access-date=14 October 2024}}</ref>

A spokesperson of Southern Railway said that there were no casualties due to the safety features of the [[LHB coaches]] used on the train. These coaches were designed to withstand higher impact and the coupling mechanism prevented coaches from climbing on top of each other on impact. He also said that the locomotive of the passenger train impacted the brake van of the goods train, which absorbed most of the impact.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2024/Oct/12/how-lhb-coaches-features-contributed-to-zero-casualties-in-kavaraipettai-railway-accident|title=How LHB coaches' features contributed to zero casualties in Kavaraipettai railway accident|newspaper=[[The New Indian Express]]|date=13 October 2024|access-date=14 October 2024}}</ref>

In July 2025, [[Commission of Railway Safety]] reported that it found 'sabotage' as the cause of derailment. <ref>https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sabotage-led-to-bagmati-express-train-accident-in-tamil-nadu-finds-crs-probe-101753877283090.html</ref><ref>https://www.deccanherald.com/india/sabotage-led-to-bagmati-express-train-accident-in-tamil-nadu-finds-crs-probe-3656554</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|India|Trains}}
* [[List of rail accidents (2020–present)]]
* [[List of railway accidents and incidents in India]]
* [[2023 Odisha train collision]]
* [[2024 West Bengal train collision]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Railway accidents and incidents in 2024}}
{{Disasters in India in 2024}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tamil Nadu train collision, 2024}}
[[Category:2024 disasters in India]]
[[Category:2020s in Tamil Nadu|Train collision]]
[[Category:October 2024 in India]]
[[Category:Railway accidents in 2024]]
[[Category:Derailments in India]]
[[Category:Railway accidents and incidents in Tamil Nadu|2024]]
[[Category:Train collisions in India]]
[[Category:Tiruvallur district]]

2024 Tamil Nadu train collision - Revision history

SharePoint Press at 19:01, 5 May 2026