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Twelve people were killed after a fire rumour on a train crossing Maharashtra's Jalgaon triggered panic among passengers, with several of them jumping off the train and getting hit by another, said the police. The death count was confirmed to News Agency by Jalgaon's Superintendent of Police Maheswar Reddy.
The accident took place between Maheji and Pardhade stations near Pachora, 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.
Some passengers of the Pushpak Express stepped down, and were hit by the oncoming Karnataka Express, heading from Bengaluru to Delhi, said Central Railway's chief spokesperson Swapnil Nila.
"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 told news agency PTI.
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.
Harrowing images showed bodies lying on tracks and some people wandering around with blood all over them.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort town of Davos, announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the families who lost a loved one in the tragedy.
"Some passengers in the train mistakenly assumed that smoke is coming out of the train and they jumped. Unfortunately, they were ran over by another train. I announce Rs 5 lakh to the each kin of the deceased persons in this accident," the Chief Minister said in a video message.
The state government will bear the entire cost of treatment of the injured passengers, the Chief Minister added.
"Our minister Girish Mahajan is personally overseeing the rescue and support to the victims of the accident. I have spoken to district administration and police officials there (in Jalgaon)," the Chief Minister further said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah condoled the loss of lives in the accident and discussed the matter with the Chief Minister.
"The railway accident that happened at Jalgaon in Maharashtra is very sad. I discussed the matter with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and got information about the incident. The local administration is providing all possible help to the injured. I express my condolences to the civilians who died in the accident and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured person," Mr Shah said in a post on X.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw spoke to the Railway Board Chairman and other officials to understand what happened and has issued directions that the injured must be attended to immediately.