A devastating train accident occurred in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district, resulting in the deaths of at least 5 passengers. The incident took place when passengers on the Lucknow-bound Pushpak Express jumped off the train due to a false alarm of a fire and were hit by the Karnataka Express train coming from the opposite direction.
Details of the Incident
- Accident Location: The accident occurred near Pachora station between Maheji and Pardhane stations in Jalgaon district.
- Cause: Passengers panicked due to sparks flying from the tracks, mistakenly believing the train had caught fire. They pulled the emergency chain and jumped off the train, only to be hit by the Karnataka Express.
- Number of Casualties: 5 passengers died, and 10 were injured, with 4 critically hurt.
Investigation and Response
Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) have initiated an inquiry into the incident.
The Railway Ministry announced ex-gratia compensation of Rs 1.5 lakh for the deceased, Rs 50,000 for grievous injuries, and Rs 5,000 for simple injuries. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced Rs 5 lakh in financial assistance for the families of the deceased.