Jaipur, Saturday 14 November 2009: The Delhi-bound Mandore Express derailed with some portion of the track piercing its AC compartment, leaving seven passengers dead and 19 others injured in the wee hours in Bassi town near here on Monday.

Eleven coaches of the train derailed at 1:30 am near Banshkov Railway station, 40 kms from here, after the train left the Pink City, North West Railway sources said. Following the derailment, a portion of the tracks pierced the AC compartment and probably hit the passengers, they said. Welders are being used to remove the iron rods.

While three of the dead have been identified as Sonal Singh (18) of New Delhi, S Kumar of Jodhpur and Ujjawal Vadhwa (27) of Jaipur, three bodies are yet to be identified.

Ninenteen of the injured, including a New Zealand national Ana Elizabeth, have been admitted to the SMS Hospital here.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced an exgratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of the kin of those killed. An exgratia of Rs one l lakh would be given to the seriously injured and Rs 10,000 to passengers who have received minor injuries, a North West Railway Spokesman said.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also announced a compensation of Rs two lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs one lakh to those seriously injured. A sum of Rs 50,000 will be given to those who have received minor injuries.

West zone railway protection commissioner Prashant Kumar and GM NWR R M Verma have left for the accident site.

Twelve trains have been diverted including the New Delhi Ajmer Shatabdi. The stranded passengers have been sent to Jaipur. State-owned buses have been pressed into service to take the passengers to their destination.