At least 12 people were killed and 11 others injured in India on Wednesday evening after they stepped off a train and were struck by another train while on the tracks, according to local authorities.
The incident occurred when passengers disembarked from the Pushpak Express, which was traveling from Lucknow to Mumbai, following rumors of a fire onboard that caused panic among those present.
The accident took place around 5 p.m. in Maharashtra State, approximately 170 miles northeast of Mumbai. Ashok Pawar, a police inspector at the Pachora police station, reported that panic ensued when the train came to a stop, leading passengers to leave the train, only to be hit by the Karnataka Express, which was passing on an adjacent track.
The exact number of passengers on the Pushpak Express remains unclear, but it was noted to be heavily populated, with many being migrant workers traveling for employment. The injuries sustained by the victims were described as severe.
Authorities are currently investigating the incident. Maheswar Reddy, the superintendent of police in Jalgaon District, stated that they would determine whether there was an actual fire or if the alarm was a false rumor.
According to Mr. Pawar, seven of the deceased were from Nepal, four were from Uttar Pradesh, and one body remains unidentified. Families of the victims have gathered in Jalgaon.
Devendra Fadnavis, the chief government official in Maharashtra, announced that eight ambulances were dispatched to the scene. He also stated that the state government would provide financial assistance to the victims' families and cover medical expenses for the injured.
This tragic accident has raised concerns regarding the safety of train travel in India, where millions rely on a vast but often accident-prone railway network, particularly in rural areas.
Despite significant government investments in rail safety and the introduction of high-tech initiatives, accidents continue to occur. Notably, one of the deadliest rail crashes in India’s history occurred in Odisha in 2023, resulting in 290 fatalities after two passenger trains collided. Another incident last June involved a freight train colliding with a derailed passenger train in Tripura, killing at least eight people.