Special Correspondent
Jalgaon: A horrifying railway accident occurred between Mahiji and Pardhade stations on the Jalgaon-Mumbai railway route in Pachora taluka, resulting in the death of 12 passengers and injuries to 19 others.
The incident happened when passengers aboard the Pushpak Express, fearing a fire onboard, jumped off the moving train. Tragically, some of them landed on the adjacent track and were hit by the high-speed Karnataka Express traveling in the opposite direction at a speed of 130-140 km/h.
Water Supply Minister Gulabrao Patil stated that four bodies have been recovered at Pachora, while eight have been sent to Jalgaon for identification. Four critically injured passengers are being treated at the private Vrindavan Hospital, and 16 others sustained minor injuries.
Patil further explained that rumors of a fire in the train led to panic, causing someone to pull the emergency chain. The sudden halt of the train caused sparks, which seemed to confirm the presence of a fire. This prompted passengers in the general compartment to jump out. Those who leapt on the opposite side were struck by the Karnataka Express, which was traveling at high speed.
“This is an accident, not sabotage. People in the general compartments jumped off, while those in the AC compartments stayed onboard,” Patil clarified, urging against politicizing the incident and focusing on the victims instead.
District officials confirmed that identification of the deceased and injured is underway. The injured passengers have been admitted to hospitals in Jalgaon and Pachora. The tragic incident has raised concerns about passenger safety and emergency response measures on Indian Railways.
