JALGAON: The death toll from the tragic train accident in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district has climbed to 13, following the discovery of a headless body along the railway tracks, police confirmed on Thursday.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening when passengers of the Mumbai-bound Pushpak Express, having disembarked due to a chain-pulling incident, were struck by the Bengaluru-Delhi Karnataka Express on an adjacent track.
"Of the 13 deceased, we have identified eight bodies so far, including two through Aadhaar cards," stated Special Inspector General of Police Dattatraya Karale. According to Jalgaon District Information Officer Yuvraj Patil, the identified victims include four individuals from Nepal.
Injuries and Medical Care
Fifteen passengers sustained injuries in the accident. While 10 remain hospitalized—nine at Pachora Civil Hospital and one at a medical facility in Jalgaon—others with minor injuries have been discharged, officials reported.
The ill-fated Pushpak Express eventually reached its final destination at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) around 1:20 a.m. on Thursday, a railway spokesperson said.
Officials Inspect the Site
Senior officials from Central Railway, including the General Manager, visited the accident site and inspected the area. They also visited hospitals to meet the injured and ensure proper medical care was being provided.
The Accident
The tragedy unfolded between Maheji and Pardhade stations near Pachora town when the Pushpak Express came to a halt around 4:45 p.m. due to an alarm chain-pulling incident. Some passengers, mistakenly fearing a fire onboard, jumped onto the adjacent tracks where they were hit by the Karnataka Express.
Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information and Publicity, Railway Board, clarified that there was no fire or spark inside the train that led to the chain-pulling. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in a video message from Davos, Switzerland, reiterated that passengers mistakenly assumed smoke was emanating from the train, leading to the panic.
Compensation Announced
Chief Minister Fadnavis announced financial assistance of ₹5 lakh each for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the tragedy. Additionally, the Railway Board announced ex-gratia payments of ₹1.5 lakh for the families of the deceased, ₹50,000 for grievous injuries, and ₹5,000 for minor injuries.
This tragic incident highlights the need for enhanced passenger awareness and safety measures to prevent such accidents in the future. Authorities are continuing investigations to ensure accountability and improve rail safety protocols.
The opinions posted here do not belong to 🔰www.indiansdaily.com. The author is solely responsible for the opinions.
As per the IT policy of the Central Government, insults against an individual, community, religion or country, defamatory and inflammatory remarks, obscene and vulgar language are punishable offenses. Legal action will be taken for such expressions of opinion.