
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Jan 22: At least 12 people were killed and several others injured after a fire rumour on a running train triggered panic among passengers and jumped out to be run over by another train coming from the opposite direction in Jalgaon district in Maharashtra on Wednesday.
“An incident occurred near Pachora town in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district, where eleven persons lost their lives and four to five were injured after jumping off a moving train,” Maheswar Reddy, Superintendent Of Police, Jalgaon, said. Later in the evening, Mr Reddy confirmed that rescue operation has been completed. Meanwhile, the bodies of the victims were sent to the Jalgaon government hospital.
The accident occurred at 5.30 p.m. between Maheji and Pardhade stations near the Pachora Railway Station, 400 km away from Mumbai, where the Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express, a Daily Superfast Express train that runs between Lucknow to Mumbai, had halted after someone pulled the chain due to a rumour of fire around 5 pm, Central Railway officials said.
As the train approached the village of Paradhade, the driver suddenly applied the brakes, causing sparks due to friction. A few passengers sitting at the doors, mistook the train was on fire and jumped off, landing on the tracks and were hit by an oncoming train from the opposite direction, the Karnataka Express heading from Bengaluru to Delhi as per the initial enquiry, Mr Reddy said.
“Our preliminary information is that there were sparks inside one of the coaches of Pushpak Express due to either ‘hot axle’ or ‘brake-binding’ (jamming), and some passengers panicked. They pulled the chain, and some of them jumped down on the tracks. At the same time, Karnataka Express was passing on the adjoining track,” a senior railway official said. Harrowing images showed bodies lying on tracks and some people wandering around with blood all over them.
An accident relief train has been dispatched from Bhusaval, said the Central Railway, adding that all efforts are being made to provide medical aid to the injured passengers.
Senior officials, including the District Collector, railway officials, and Sub-Divisional Officer Bhushan Ahire reached the site after the accident. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said government officials have reached the site of the incident and the district administration is working towards treating the injured.
“The tragic incident of the loss of lives in a very unfortunate incident near Pachora in Jalgaon district is deeply distressing. 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. 8 ambulances have been dispatched.
“The general hospital as well as other nearby private hospitals have been kept ready for the treatment of the injured. Emergency equipment like glass cutters, floodlights etc. have also been kept ready. We are monitoring the entire situation and all necessary assistance is being provided immediately. I am in touch with the district administration,” Mr Fadnavis said in a post on X.