Chhattisgarh train accident: Death toll rises to 11; bodies retrieved from wreckage

The accident occurred around 4pm on Tuesday when the MEMU passenger train was heading to Bilaspur from Gevra in Korba district.

The death toll in the collision between a passenger train and a goods train near Bilaspur railway station in Chhattisgarh a day earlier rose to 11, officials said on Wednesday. Rescue operations continued through the night as personnel retrieved bodies trapped inside the mangled coach of the passenger train.

People gather for rescue operations after a passenger train collided with a goods train near Bilaspur railway station in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday. (PTI)

The accident occurred around 4pm on Tuesday when the MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) passenger train was heading to Bilaspur from Gevra in Korba district.

Railway officials confirmed that the affected line was restored early Wednesday morning. “Eleven persons, including six women, have lost their lives, and 20 others were injured in the accident,” the railways said in an official statement.

Following the collision, the railway administration launched immediate relief and rescue operations. The injured were admitted to Apollo Hospital and the Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) in Bilaspur. The impact of the crash was so severe that one coach of the passenger train mounted a wagon of the goods train, officials said. Restoration work on the track was completed by 5.30am on Wednesday, allowing train movement to resume.

Of the 11 deceased, five have been identified as passenger train local pilot Vidya Sagar (53), Lovkush Shukla (41), Ranjeet Prabhakar (in his early 40s), Shila Yadav (25), and Priya Chandra (21). Four women and two men among the deceased are yet to be identified. The 20 injured include nine women and a two-year-old boy. Among the injured are assistant loco pilot Rashmi Raj (34), train manager (guard) Ashok Kumar Dixit (54), and goods train guard Shailesh Chandra (49).

Officials said an advance ex gratia of ₹50,000 each has been given to the injured. The railway administration added that it was in continuous contact with hospitals to ensure proper treatment, transportation, and necessary support for all affected passengers. Senior railway officials are monitoring the situation and overseeing recovery efforts.

According to preliminary findings, the passenger train overshot a red signal and hit the stationary goods train from behind at a speed of 60–70kmph. “It is now a matter of investigation as to why the loco pilot crossed the signal and failed to apply emergency brakes, even though the goods train was within visible distance,” said a senior railway official.

The collision mangled the brake van of the goods train, while a portion of the motor coach climbed onto the adjacent wagon. The guard of the goods train managed to jump out of the brake van moments before the impact, sustaining minor injuries.

The Railways has announced compensation of ₹10 lakh each for the families of the deceased, ₹5 lakh for the seriously injured, and ₹1 lakh for those with minor injuries. A detailed inquiry into the incident will be conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) to determine the cause and recommend corrective measures.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the tragedy and announced an additional compensation of ₹5 lakh to the kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 to the injured.