A Mumbai-bound express train from Odisha ran two kilometres in the wrong direction before rail officials realised the mistake and called it back.

The incident took place on Tuesday night, when the Puri-Mumbai Lokmanya Tilak Express, leaving Machhapur station in Odisha, went towards Rajkishorepur instead of Raj Athgarh. As soon as the mistake was noticed, the train was stopped and another engine pulled it back to the scheduled route.

East Coast Railway spokesperson JP Mishra said the station master of Machhapur has been suspended pending a departmental probe.

“It was a case of wrong operation. It was an irregular movement,” said Mishra.

The incident occurred on the day when the Azamgarh-Delhi Kaifiyat Express derailed in Auraiya district of Uttar Pradesh leaving around 74 injured.

In January, passengers travelling on the Anand Vihar-Bhubaneswar Super Fast Weekly Express in Rourkela junction had a few anxious moments when the engine moved ahead without the 15 bogies. The driver of the train realised only after he gone about two kilometres.