At least 12 people died and nearly seven were injured after being hit by a train in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district on Wednesday. Passengers of the Pushpak Express, alarmed by a suspected fire, hopped off the train, and were hit by the Karnataka Express, coming from the opposite direction on an adjacent track.
The Pushpak Express, running from Lucknow to Mumbai, was near Jalgaon when rumours of a fire aboard one of its coaches caused panic among passengers.
A railway official told news agency PTI that sparks, possibly caused by a “hot axle” or “brake-binding”, led to fears of a fire inside the train. In response, passengers pulled the emergency chain to stop the train. Several jumped off in an attempt to escape the perceived danger, landing on the parallel track, but were hit by the Karnataka Express coming from the opposite direction.
“After the chain was pulled, several passengers got off from one of the coaches of the train. At the time, the Karnataka Express which was travelling from Bengaluru to Delhi, hit several passengers,” Swapnil Nila, the Chief Public Relations Officer (CRPO) of Central Railway told India Today TV.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that eight ambulances have been dispatched to the accident site and nearby hospitals have been prepared to treat those injured in the incident. He also announced Rs 5 lakh compensation each for the families of those who died in the train tragedy.
“The unfortunate incident near Pachora in Jalgaon district in which some people lost their lives is very painful. I pay my heartfelt tributes to them. My colleague, Minister Girish Mahajan and the Superintendent of Police have reached the spot and the District Collector will reach there shortly. The entire district administration is working in coordination with the railway administration and immediate arrangements are being made for the treatment of the injured,” Fadnavis said.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident, extending condolences to the families of the deceased and wishing a speedy recovery for those injured. He has directed authorities to ensure proper treatment for the injured and assistance to affected families.