Thirteen people travelling on the Pushpak Express were killed, and fifteen others were injured after they were run over by the Karnataka Express in the Jalgaon district of Maharashtra on Wednesday evening. The victims had stepped out of their halted train between Maheji and Pardhade stations near Pachora, 400 km away from Mumbai, and were hit by the Karnataka Express, travelling on the adjacent track.
Railway authorities said that the tragedy was the result of a rumoured fire onboard the Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express.
"A few passengers pulled the alarm chain on Pushpak Express and deboarded the train. Bengaluru-New Delhi Karnataka Express was coming from the other side," a Railway official said.
According to the official, the passengers deboarded the train and either tried to cross the train in an unsafe manner or were standing on the tracks. Due to this, they were hit by the incoming Karnataka Express.
An eyewitness told local media that panic gripped passengers after some of them saw sparks flying from the wheels of the train when brakes were applied.
"Some passengers pulled the emergency chain and got down on the tracks, leading to the tragedy," he said.
Railway authorities, however, have ruled out claims that there was a fire outbreak.
"Our preliminary information is that there were sparks inside one of the coaches of Pushpak Express due to either a 'hot axle' or 'brake-binding' (jamming), and some passengers panicked. They pulled the chain, and some of them jumped down on the tracks," a Railway official said.
"Based on the information that we have received, no spark or any fire was noticed in the coach," Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information and Publicity, Railway Board, told PTI.
The Railway Board separately announced an ex gratia of Rs 1.5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased, Rs 50,000 for grievous injuries, and Rs 5,000 for minor injuries.
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