The engine of an empty passenger train derailed after hitting a giant tree that had fallen on the track in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Friday, causing minor injuries to the loco pilot, officials said.

The incident took place in the early hours between Bhanupratappur and Gudum villages when the empty DEMU passenger train was heading to Antagarh (Kanker district) from Dallirajhara (Balod district), a railway official said.

This train, which runs from Antagarh to Raipur, was scheduled to leave for the capital at 4.30 am from Antagarh.

The locomotive hit a huge banyan tree that had fallen on the track due to incessant rainfall in the area for the last few days, causing the derailment of its two front wheels. The loco pilot sustained bruises in the accident, he said.

After being alerted, railway and security personnel were rushed to the site, located in the Naxal-hit area, and the exercise to put it on track was launched, he said.

The locomotive was rerailed around 10 am after the downed tree was cleared, he said.

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