At least 11 people died in a train accident in the western Indian state of Maharashtra on Wednesday as they got off their train, fearing a fire, only to be hit by another passing train. on the adjacent lane, local media reported.
Railway officials told local media that someone pulled the train’s alarm chain, causing it to stop, after which several passengers got off onto adjacent tracks and were mowed down by another passing train .
“As per reports, 11 people died in the accident and 5 others were injured,” Praveen Gedam, a senior railway official in Nashik region, told news agency ANI.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said ambulances had been rushed to the spot and arrangements were being made to treat the injured.
“Emergency equipment like glass cutters, floodlights, etc. are also ready,” he said on the X messaging platform.
Indian Railways is the world’s fourth-largest rail network and is undergoing a $30 billion upgrade, part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to boost connectivity.
However, rail accidents over the past two years, including a collision in 2023 that killed at least 288 people, have tarnished its image.
India plans to increase spending on modernizing its railways in the federal budget, which will be presented next month, Reuters reported earlier this week.
