Panic on the tracks: 12 die in freak Jalgaon train tragedy
There was a curve on the tracks near the incident spot, possibly making it difficult for the passengers to spot the oncoming train
At least 12 people were killed in a freak accident after they jumped off a train in panic amid rumours of a fire in a coach, and were mowed down by an express train running on the adjacent track in Jalgaon district of Maharashtra on Wednesday, officials said.
According to officials, people on board the Pushpak Express (train number 12533) — travelling from Lucknow to Mumbai — noticed smoke coming from under a bogie. This fanned the fear of a fire on board the train, prompting some of them to jump off hastily after pulling the alarm chain between Maheji and Pardhade stations, close to 400km from Mumbai, at around 4.30pm, the officials added.
“Our preliminary information is that there were sparks and smoke near one of the general coaches of Pushpak Express due to either ‘hot axle’ (axle of a train wheel overheating) or ‘brake-binding’ (jamming), and some passengers panicked. They pulled the chain, and some of them jumped down,” a senior Indian Railways official said on condition of anonymity. The official added that the exact cause of the smoke will be known after a probe.
At the same time, the Karnataka Express (train number 12627) — running from Bengaluru to Delhi — was passing on the adjacent track at an estimated speed of 60-80km/hour when it ran over the Pushpak Express passengers who had disembarked and were moving across the track, the officials said.
“The state administration has confirmed 12 deaths,” Dilip Kumar, the executive director of information and publicity, Railway Board, said. Shiv Sena leader and Jalgaon guardian minister Gulabrao Patil said “the casualties were likely to increase”. According to Ashok Pawar, an inspector at Pachora police station, ten others were injured and undergoing treatment. Witnesses said that most of the passengers who jumped off the train were travelling in sleeper coaches and the general compartment.
“After it crossed Jalgaon station, the train came to a sudden halt. We saw passengers from S4 coach climbing down. Right in front of me, I saw two people being mowed down,” said Sandeep Jadhav, a resident of Kalyan who boarded the train from Lucknow and was travelling in the B3 coach. Passengers of the Pushpak Express recounted that they were shrouded in panic and uncertainty after they saw smoke in one of the bogies. “Someone inside my coach shouted that there was a fire. I also panicked. People started running here and there. Some people immediately pulled the chain and opened the doors of the coach. In panic, passengers started jumping from the train,” Lucknow resident Suresh Gupta said.
Officials aware of the matter said that there was a curve on the tracks near the incident spot, which might have made it difficult for the passengers to spot the oncoming train and also made it harder for the driver of the Karnataka Express to bring it to a halt. “After the Pushpak Express was stopped, the train’s driver turned on the flasher light (emergency warning light) as per the rules. The driver of Karnataka Express noticed the light and applied brakes. There is a curvature of almost two degrees near the incident spot, which reduced the distance to stop the train. It also made it difficult for the passengers to see the oncoming train. The drivers tried their best to avoid the incident,” another railway official said on condition of anonymity.
A daily superfast express train, the Pushpak Express runs between Lucknow Junction and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja Terminus. It is one of the preferred modes of commuting for hundreds of migrant workers travelling from the Uttar Pradesh capital to the Maharashtra capital.
“UP CM Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the train accident in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. He expressed his condolences to the bereaved families while praying for peace to the souls of those who died in the accident. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured,” the Uttar Pradesh CM’s office said in a post on X.
Union home minister Amit Shah said he spoke to Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to take stock of the situation.
“The train accident in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, is extremely sad. I spoke to Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis ji in this regard and took stock of the situation arising after the accident. The local administration is providing all possible help to the injured,” Shah said in a post on X in Hindi.
In a statement the Railway Board said that railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is in Davos for the World Economic Forum, also expressed condolences over the incident. “Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has expressed deep sorrow over the incident. He took complete information about the incident from the Railway Board Chairman and other officials and gave instructions for proper treatment of all the injured,”it said in a statement.
Fadnavis said the state government will provide financial assistance of ₹5 lakh to the families of the deceased families and bear the expenses of the treatment of the injured. “Minister Girish Mahajan has reached the accident spot to coordinate relief efforts. The district collector is coordinating with the Railway. Eight ambulances have been sent and arrangements have been made at nearby hospitals to treat the injured. We are closely monitoring the situation, and all necessary assistance and help is being provided without delay,” he posted on X.
(With inputs from Lucknow and Mumbai)