India's railway ministry said Sunday a "ghastly" accident was narrowly avoided after 22 train coaches carrying some 1,000 passengers became detached from the engine and sped backwards for miles before being stopped.
The runaway carriages in the eastern state of Odisha rolled for 12 kilometres (seven miles) before being brought to a shuddering halt by rocks placed on the tracks by railway staff.
A spokesman for the railway ministry's eastern division said none of about 1,000 passengers were injured in the incident Saturday night. But seven railway employees who did not follow proper procedures have been suspended and an investigation launched into how the carriages became separated during the journey from the western state of Gujarat to Odisha, said spokesman JP Mishra.