Pushpak Express train incident: The passengers had stepped on the tracks after pulling the emergency chain of the train.
At least 13 passengers of Mumbai-bound Pushpak Express, who got off the train after an alarm chain-pulling incident, were run over by another train coming from the opposite direction on the adjacent tracks in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district Wednesday evening. Ten more passengers were injured, four of them critically.
Jalgaon Guardian Minister Gulabrao Patil said the passengers, mostly from the general compartment, were spooked by a rumour that the train had caught fire, and jumped out of the train.
“There was a chain-pulling incident that caused the train to come to an abrupt halt when the emergency brakes were applied. The friction from the brakes caused sparks to fly from the tracks. Passengers in the general compartment, fearing the train had caught fire, jumped from both exits. The Karnataka Express, traveling at over 130 kmph from the opposite side on the adjacent tracks, ran over these passengers, resulting in the tragic loss of lives,” Patil said Confirming the deaths, Dr Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Central Railways, said, “Amidst a chain pulling incident on the Pushpak Express, several passengers got off the train and were tragically struck by the passing Karnataka Express…The exact cause of the alarm chain-pulling is still being investigated.
Jalgaon District Collector Ayush Prasad told The Indian Express that the dead included nine men and three women. Three of them were Nepal nationals. Six bodies have been identified so far, including those of the Nepal citizens, Prasad said. He said the condition of four of the 10 injured was critical Officials said the incident took place around 5 pm near Pachora between Maheji and Pardhane stations.
A senior Railway official said visibility at the location was significantly impaired by a curve in the tracks, which hindered both the locomotive driver and the passengers from seeing each other in time to avoid the incident. The Pushpak Express driver had activated the flasher lights as per protocol, which were noticed by the Karnataka Express driver, but due to the curvature of the tracks, could not apply the brakes in time
The driver of the Pushpak Express activated the flasher lights after stopping, as required. The Karnataka Express driver saw the lights and applied brakes. However, the two-degree curvature near the site obstructed visibility and reduced the braking distance. This curve also hindered passengers from seeing the approaching train. Despite the pilots’ best efforts, the collision could not be avoided,” the official said.
While the Pushpak Express was heading to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus from Lucknow, the Karnataka Express was running between Bengaluru and New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths and wished speedy recovery to the injured. In a post on X, the Prime Minister’s Office quoted him as saying, “Anguished by the tragic accident on the railway tracks in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of all the injured. Authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected
