In a tragic incident in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district, 13 passengers lost their lives after panic broke out on the Lucknow-CSMT Pushpak Express due to rumors of a fire. The incident occurred near Pachora, between Maheji and Pardhane stations, around 5 PM on Thursday. Passengers, mostly from the general compartment, jumped onto adjacent tracks, where they were hit by the oncoming Karnataka Express.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced compensation of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. Among the deceased, four have been identified as Nepalese nationals. Investigators from the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Central Circle, are examining the circumstances, with CRS Manoj Arora set to visit the accident site.
Local authorities, including Jalgaon Guardian Minister Gulabrao Patil, confirmed no fire occurred aboard the train. The panic-driven reaction appears to have been fueled by misinformation. A curvature in the tracks reportedly obstructed visibility for the Karnataka Express driver, contributing to the collision.
Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar criticized the incident as a failure of railway safety measures, calling for enhanced security and compensation of ₹25 lakh for the victims’ families. Emergency services were swiftly deployed, and visuals from the site depict the somber aftermath, with injured passengers being treated and bodies retrieved.
The tragic accident serves as a grim reminder of the need for improved safety protocols and public awareness during emergencies. Authorities are now focused on understanding the causes of this avoidable tragedy to prevent such incidents in the future.
