Several passengers were killed when they jumped from their train in panic due to a ‘fire incident’, only to be run over by another train on the adjacent tracks in North Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district, on January 22, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Eyewitnesses struggled to recount the horror when a train ran over several passengers who rushed out of the Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express following rumours of a fire on Wednesday (January 22, 2025) evening.
At least 13 people lost their lives and 10 were injured.
“It was a horrible scene when I reached there. The body parts of the deceased were scattered all over the place. We called for ambulances. The mortal remains of the deceased were gathered and were sent to hospital. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, and are reportedly out of danger. We are taking care of their relatives. The Chief Minister is in constant touch with me,” said Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan, who reached the spot some time after the accident.
Several killed, many injured as train runs over passengers near Maharashtra’s Jalgaon
Asked about the cause of the panic, he said, “There was no fire, but a rumour spread about it. Someone pulled the chain. Over 200 people deboarded the train because of it,” he told The Hindu from Pachora.
A passenger from Lucknow said panic ensued when a vendor onboard shouted that the train was on fire. “Some passengers immediately pulled the alarm chain, bringing the train to a halt. As soon as it stopped, people began disembarking and running in fear. Tragically, a train on the adjacent track struck those who had stepped down,” he said.
“Only about 40 passengers from three coaches near the engine disembarked. It’s terrifying to think what could have happened if more passengers had done the same,” the witness said.
Another passenger confirmed hearing someone shout about a fire, which led to passengers rushing to get off the train from both sides. “Those who got down on the side of the adjacent track were hit by the other train. I came looking for my friends who had disembarked, but I haven’t been able to find them,” he said in despair.
Belongings go missing
A third traveller alleged that amid the chaos, personal belongings, including bags and phones, went missing when the passengers had got down.
“We got down as soon as the train stopped. Later, when we went back to collect our belongings, we found that bags and mobile phones were missing,” he said.
“A few passengers sitting at the doors mistakenly believed the train was on fire and jumped off, landing on the tracks of an oncoming train from the opposite direction, the Karnataka Express, as per the initial enquiry,” Jalgaon Superintendent Of Police Maheshwar Reddy told The Hindu.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he was monitoring the situation from Davos. “Emergency equipment like glass cutters, floodlights etc. have also been kept ready. We are monitoring the entire situation, and all necessary assistance is being provided immediately. I am in touch with the district administration,” he said in a video message.
Leaders across political lines expressed grief.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray called for better safety measures. Congress leaders Nana Patole and Vijay Wadettiwar criticised the government’s handling of railway safety.
Mr. Wadettiwar demanded a thorough investigation to prevent similar tragedies, while Mr. Patole accused the government of neglecting passenger safety.
District collector Ayush Prasad confirmed that four people were seriously injured and had been rushed to two private hospitals in Pachora. “One of the hospitals is an orthopaedic speciality hospital and our senior surgeons from the Jalgaon Government Hospital is monitoring the treatment,” he said. “We have also sent extra teams from the government hospital in case there is a requirement. The doctors have said that some of the injured persons have minor fractures.”
He added, “We have also sent drinking water tanks to the spot. The location is between two villages and two railway stations. The first challenge was to identify the location of the incident. By 6.30 p.m., the rescue operation was completed with the help of the Railway sub-divisional officer, who was appointed as the incident commander and who coordinated with all the emergency response services.”
A district-level control room was established for multi-agency coordination between the police, railway, fire department, and government medical college, Mr. Prasad said.
Published – January 23, 2025 12:43 am IST
