Four railway officials were suspended and three others were sent on leave following a rail accident in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh (UP), which resulted in the deaths of 24 people and injured several others.

The incident occurred when the 13-coach Utkal Express locomotive derailed roughly 130km north of New Delhi during a journey to Haridwar from Puri, near Muzaffarnagar, UP, according to media sources.

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Initial investigation reports suggest that the incident occurred due to track repair works carried out by the railway staff on the line.

"The incident occurred when the 13-coach Utkal Express locomotive derailed roughly 130km north of New Delhi during a journey to Haridwar from Puri, near Muzaffarnagar, UP."

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has completed the rescue and search operations, and the bodies of the victims have been pulled out from the wreckage.

Heavyweight cranes and gas cutters were used to recover the passengers stuck inside the debris, and they were then shifted to nearby hospitals.

The accident is the fourth major rail incident in the last year, as well as the third in the state this year, Reuters reported.

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Roughly 150 people previously died in a train accident in the state that occurred in November.

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