At least 15 people were killed and 50 injured when a passenger train hit a road construction vehicle at an unmanned crossing near the capital of the northeast Indian state Guwahati Friday morning, said witnesses and officials.

Indian disaster response personnel search as onlookers gather around derailed cars of a passenger train following an accident at Sathi Sarapa village near Gauhati, India, Feb. 3, 2012. At least three people are confirmed dead while more others are feared killed and over 50 were injured in a train mishap near the northeastern Indian state of Assam's capital Gauhati Friday morning, said witnesses and officials. (Photos: Xinhua/Stringer) 
The passenger train was coming from New Bongaigaon station in lower Assam to Guwahati when it hit a JCB vehicle at Mirza, 15 km from Guwahati at around 09:45 a.m.local time.
At least five coaches behind the engine were reported to have derailed after the accident, a witness told Xinhua by phone.

The driver of the JCB was killed on the spot.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet