On Wednesday, eleven individuals lost their lives after rumors of a fire on their train prompted them to leap from the vehicle, only to be struck and killed by an oncoming train, according to officials.
This tragic event in the western state of Maharashtra highlights the ongoing challenges faced by India’s aging railway system, which serves millions of passengers daily and has been the site of numerous disasters over the years.
“People were run over by a train,” stated Ayush Prasad, a senior official from Jalgaon district, where the incident took place, approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Mumbai, the nation’s financial center.
“Eleven individuals have died, and around five others are receiving medical treatment.”
It remains uncertain whether the fire alarm was indeed a false alarm.
A representative from Indian Railways was reported by local media as saying that an individual had activated the “alarm chain” on a train bound for Mumbai, leading to “a few passengers disembarking from the train.”
“At that moment, they were struck by another train traveling in the opposite direction,” the spokesperson explained.
India’s Interior Minister Amit Shah conveyed his “deepest condolences to the families of those who perished in this incident.”
Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the “tragic incident” as “deeply disturbing.”
“I am profoundly saddened by the tragic loss of lives,” he remarked in a post on X.
In an effort to enhance the economy and improve connectivity, India has initiated a $30 billion railway infrastructure modernization project.
However, analysts indicate that despite a reduction in the number of accidents over time, India’s outdated rail system still requires significant improvements.
Official records show that an average of 20,000 individuals died annually in rail accidents between 2017 and 2021.
In 2023, nearly 300 people were killed when a passenger train collided with a stationary goods train, resulting in derailed compartments striking another fast-moving passenger service.
