In a tragic incident in Jalgaon's Pachora area, 11 passengers lost their lives on Wednesday( Jan 22) evening after a fire scare on the Pushpak Express led to chaos. The victims were struck by the Karnataka Express while jumping onto the tracks to escape what they believed was a fire on board, according to media reports.

Advertisment

Fire rumour sparks panic

The incident occurred near Pachora station when the Pushpak Express came to an emergency halt around 5 pm. Reports suggest that sparks were noticed during the train’s braking, which led passengers to fear a fire. A rumour quickly spread, prompting several passengers to jump from their coaches onto the adjacent tracks. 

Collision with Karnataka Express  

Advertisment

As the passengers attempted to flee, they were hit by the Karnataka Express, which was approaching on the parallel track at the time. The impact resulted in 11 deaths.

Also Read | Top Maoist leader Chalapathi killed by Indian security forces. Who was he?

Officials revealed that someone on the Pushpak Express pulled the emergency chain after rumours of a fire began circulating. This sudden stop added to the panic, resulting in the tragic sequence of events.

Advertisment

Also Read | Nitish Kumar's JD(U) fires Manipur unit chief who claimed party withdrew support to BJP govt in Indian state

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis conveyed his sympathies and confirmed that he was in touch with the district administration to monitor rescue efforts.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences to the bereaved families and directed authorities to ensure proper medical care for the injured. 

 

 

(With inputs from agencies)