Around 12 to 14 passengers were injured after a swarm of bees entered the A-2 coach of a Vande Bharat train bound for Hazrat Nizamuddin, triggering panic. Some passengers locked themselves in toilets to escape the attack, but the bees followed them inside.
The incident occurred at Khajuraho railway station on Sunday night after construction work reportedly disturbed a beehive on the platform. The agitated bees attacked passengers waiting to board the train and entered the coach as the passengers rushed inside for safety.
Train number 22469 was preparing to depart for Hazrat Nizamuddin while cleaning was under way and passengers waited to board the executive-class A-2 and other coaches.
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Passengers Brijesh Sharma and Lokesh Sharma said chaos broke out inside the coach as people tried to protect themselves with bedsheets and other available items. Several suffered swelling around their eyes, cheeks, necks and faces after being stung. An elderly woman’s condition reportedly deteriorated, while others fell ill amid the panic.
Passengers sought help from onboard staff but said they received little assistance. Medical help was reportedly arranged at Lalitpur station, though the brief halt did not allow all those affected to receive treatment.
{{/usCountry}}Passengers sought help from onboard staff but said they received little assistance. Medical help was reportedly arranged at Lalitpur station, though the brief halt did not allow all those affected to receive treatment.
{{/usCountry}}Doctors treated the injured when the train reached Jhansi railway station late on Sunday night. Arrangements were also made for passengers continuing their journey to Gwalior.
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Manoj Kumar Singh, spokesperson for the North Central Railway’s Jhansi division, said medical teams treated the passengers at Lalitpur and Jhansi stations. “An inquiry has been ordered to establish how the incident occurred,” he said.