A tragic train accident took place in Jalgaon district, Maharashtra, on 22nd January 2025, where 13 people lost their lives and many others were injured. The incident occurred on the Pushpak Express, which was travelling from Lucknow to Mumbai.

Around 5:00 pm, the train, located 400 km away from Mumbai between the Maheji and Pardhande stations, suddenly stopped. Passengers began to panic when someone pulled the emergency chain and rumours of smoke and fire spread. In the chaos, many passengers decided to jump off the train in an attempt to escape, landing on the tracks next to the Pushpak Express.

What they didn’t realize was that the Karnataka Express, coming from Bengaluru to Delhi at a speed of 130 km/h, was approaching on the same track. The driver of the Pushpak Express had activated the flasher light, as required by railway rules, to signal the sudden stop. The driver of the Karnataka Express saw the light but due to a curve in the tracks, he noticed it too late and couldn't apply the brakes in time. As a result, the train could not stop in time and ran over the passengers who had jumped onto the tracks.

This led to 13 fatalities, including 4 women and 9 men. Several others were injured. Survivors mentioned that if the drivers hadn’t managed to stop the trains, the death toll would have been much higher.

According to senior railway officials, the panic started when passengers saw sparks coming from a compartment of the Pushpak Express, likely caused by a "hot axle" or "brake-binding". A hot axle occurs when friction causes one of the train’s wheels to become overheated, possibly leading to sparks or even fire. The Railways confirmed that there was no actual fire, but the incident caused significant panic among the passengers.

Some passengers who jumped from the left side of the train were unharmed, while those who jumped from the right side were caught by the approaching Karnataka Express.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sadness over the accident, posting on X, "I am deeply saddened by the tragic train accident in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. My condolences to the families of the victims, and I wish a quick recovery to the injured. Authorities are helping those affected."

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also expressed his condolences, writing on X, "The tragic loss of lives near Pachora in Jalgaon district is very heartbreaking. My sincere condolences go out to those affected."

The Railway Ministry has announced compensation for the victims: ?1.5 lakh for the families of the deceased, ?50,000 for those with major injuries, and ?5,000 for minor injuries. The Maharashtra government has also announced ?5 lakh for the families of the deceased and free medical treatment for the injured.

Senior Congress leader Wadettiwar called for stronger measures to prevent such accidents, suggesting that the families of the victims should receive ?25 lakh as compensation.

While the government is working to improve train safety, incidents like this serve as a painful reminder of the challenges still faced by India’s railways, which is the largest rail network in Asia. This incident also brings back memories of a similar tragedy 31 years ago in Mumbai, where 21 women and a boy died after jumping off a train in panic, only to be run over by another train.

This incident highlights the need for improved safety measures and better communication to prevent such tragic accidents in the future.

Railway Insurance Video: https://youtu.be/LQGwXf57GYs

Tags

• jalgaon
• train accident
• pushpak express

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