Though the cause of the accident, which occurred around 7:17 am, is being attributed to sabotage, police at the site felt poor maintenance of the tracks could also be the reason.

The Eastern Railway spokesman, however, said a fish plate was found removed while another was reported missing over the railway bridge where the accident occurred.

Divisional railway manager (Danapur) said the exact cause of the accident will be ascertained only after an inquiry by the Railways is completed.

The derailment saw nine bogies, including three air-conditioned and two sleeper class, getting unhitched from the engine and overturned as seven other compartments dragged on for 200 metres before coming to a halt.

So faronly four bodies have been identified. They are Madhusudan (20) of Vikrampur village of Patna district, Rakesh Kumar of Dumri, also of the same district, Ratan Mittal and a 20-month-old infant Yash Verma of Patna. Of the injured, 15 passengers are reported to be serious.

The accident provided an opportunity to the State Government to launch its attack on senior Samata leader and Railway Minister Nitish Kumar. Chief Minister Rabri Devi, who along with RJD chief Laloo Prasad visited the site, charged the railway administration for the accident.

Demanding a probe into the accident, Rabri commented that, "The accident appears to have taken place due to the negligence of the railway employees. There is virtually no maintenance of the tracks." She also demanded a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for the relatives of those killed and jobs to persons who received grievous injuries. Witnesses said the main victims were those passengers who had been hanging near the gates of the train. A woman perished in betweenthe windows. The entire area was strewn with the belongings of the passengers. Of the bogies which overturned, the maximum damage was caused to the sleeper coach S8. The two AC coaches were slightly tilted.

The mob assembled at the accident site raised slogans against Rabri Devi and Laloo Prasad when they reached the place and within a couple of minutes the Chief Minister left the place.

The scene at the Patna Medical College Hospital, where the injured were admitted, was heart-rending with hands of at least three survivors amputated and a number of others being administered saline. Jaleshwar Mahto, who survived with a severed hand, complained that the doctors reached the spot after two hours of the tragedy when the villagers had already extricated most of the hapless passengers from the train.

The doctors at PMCH said barring one person, who had suffered grievous head injury, others were out of danger.

Senior members of the Railway board, along with Minister Nitish Kumar, were expected to reach thesite in the evening.