The diesel engine, which was shunting on the same line on which the Punjab Mail Express train was standing, collided despite the fact that there was no fog and visibility was full in that area. The diesel engine was running at the speed of 10 km per hour. The train left for its onward journey after a delay of about an hour from its scheduled time.

Following this incident, the Union Railway Ministry, which has taken a serious notice of the mishap, has decided to initiate a high- level probe into the it.

Interestingly, all four passengers, who suffered multiple injuries and were shifted to the local civil hospital for treatment, disappeared from the hospital under mysterious circumstances.

Civil hospital sources said that the four injured, who were brought here late last night and were put to treatment immediately, were not in their respective beds since this morning.

The local railway authorities ,when contacted, refused to confirm the fact that any such collision had taken place. Information revealed that the injured, who were getting treatment, were forced to leave the hospital by a section of officials allegedly to hush up the matter. Those who suffered injuries were identified as Karaj Singh, Nachhattar Singh, Ajit Singh and Nazar Singh.

Official sources said a high level team comprising three senior official of three different wings of the Indian Railways would start a comprehensive inquiry into this incident tomorrow.

Information revealed that this evening, a section of officials of the Railway posted at the local railway station held a meeting to work out a strategy to deal with the inquiry team.

Mr Soorma Singh, Deputy Station Superintendent, local Railway Station, when contacted, while refusing to make any comment on the fact that whether any collision had taken place or not, said that only Delhi office could talk to mediapersons. He also refused to make any comment when asked that why the injured had disappeared under mysterious circumstances from local civil hospital.

It could not be known whether any criminal case was registered in this connection or not.