North News
Mumbai, January 23
Thirteen passengers, including four Nepalese nationals, were killed in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district after panicking over fire rumors and jumping off the Pushpak Express, officials said. The tragedy occurred when passengers aboard the Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express leapt from the moving train fearing a fire, only to be struck by the Karnataka Express on an adjacent track. Witnesses reported that the panic was triggered by a false alarm from a tea seller, who pulled the emergency chain claiming there was a fire, media outlets reported. Authorities confirmed no fire or spark was found on the train. “Some passengers mistakenly believed there was smoke and jumped,” Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said. The Maharashtra government announced ₹5 lakh ($6,000) for the families of each victim, while the Railway Board pledged an additional ₹1.5 lakh for the deceased, ₹50,000 for severe injuries, and ₹5,000 for minor injuries.
Thirteen passengers died in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district after jumping off the Pushpak Express in panic over a suspected fire and being struck by an oncoming train, officials said. The incident occurred when passengers aboard the Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express, fearing a fire, leapt onto adjacent tracks and were run over by the Karnataka Express, media reports said. Eyewitness accounts suggested that a tea seller raised a false alarm about a fire, prompting the emergency chain to be pulled, India Today reported.
The Railway Board denied any fire or spark inside the train. “Some passengers mistakenly assumed smoke was coming from the train and jumped,” said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in a video statement from Davos. The Maharashtra government has announced ₹5 lakh ($6,000) compensation for the families of the deceased. The Railway Board pledged an ex-gratia of ₹1.5 lakh for the victims, ₹50,000 for those with serious injuries, and ₹5,000 for minor injuries.
