The death toll has risen to 19 in the Hampi Express train accident which took place early this morning at Penugonda in Ananthpur district of Andhra Pradesh. Railway officials say that the death toll may go up. Over 40 people have been injured, 36 of them seriously.

Railway Spokesperson Anil Saxena said in Delhi that the injured have been admitted in various hospitals at Penugonda, Hindupur Puttaparthi and Bangalore. The Hampi Express train travelling from Hubli to Bangalore rammed into a static goods train at Penukonda Railway station.

The Union Railway Minister Mr. Mukul Roy has ordered an inquiry into the accident. Commissioner Railway Safety, S K Mittal will conduct a statutory inquiry and has been asked to submit a report at the earliest. The Minister has announced a compensation of five lakh rupees to the next of kin of the deceased, one lakh rupees for those who sustained grievous injuries. Fifty thousand rupees compenastion will be given to those who received minor injuries.

The Karnataka government has announced a compensation of one lakh rupees for those killed in the accident. The injured will be given 25,000 rupees.
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Kiran Kumar Reddy is also rushing to the accident site.

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Kiran Kumar Reddy has also rushed to the accident site. Several Andhra Ministers have reached the accident site to monitor the rescue operations. Karnataka government has also sent a senior Minister to oversee the rescue operations.

The Railway officials have set up helpline numbers at various stations to disseminate the information to the public.

At Bangalore the Helpline No's are:

080-22371166, 22156553 & 22156554.

At Guntakal Helplines are:

08552-220761, 220947 & 220837 and 097013 74090 & 097013 74091.

At Ananthapur Helpline No's are:

08554-236444 and 096769 03449.

At Dharmawaram Helpline are:

08559-224422.

South Central Railways has either cancelled or partially cancelled some trains in the division due to accident.

The Lok Sabha today expressed profound grief on the death of several people in Hampi Express accident in Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh. As soon as the proceedings of the House began Speaker Meera Kumar referred to the train accident. The House observed silence in the memory of the deceased