Passengers of 18604 Bhagalpur Ranchi Express had a close shave on Sunday evening when three compartments of the train derailed near Murarpur Halt railway station, around 12km west of Bhagalpur.

Rajesh Argal, divisional railway manager, Malda, said the accident happened when some buffaloes came on the tracks on which the train was running. Though the driver stopped the train immediately, a buffalo was run over and its carcass made the compartment wheels slip and derail.