12 Dead After Passengers Jump Off Train, Hit by Karnataka Express in Maharashtra

At least 12 passengers of the Mumbai-bound Pushpak Express were killed, and 10 others injured, four critically, in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district on Wednesday evening. The accident occurred after passengers, spooked by a rumour of fire following a chain-pulling incident, jumped from the train and were struck by the Karnataka Express traveling on adjacent tracks at over 130 km/h.

Jalgaon Guardian Minister Gulabrao Patil explained that sparks caused by emergency braking led passengers, mostly in the general compartment, to believe the train was on fire. Despite the Pushpak Express driver activating flasher lights, a curve in the tracks impaired visibility, preventing the Karnataka Express driver from braking in time.

The dead included nine men and three women, with three Nepal nationals among them. Six bodies have been identified. The Railways confirmed there was no fire, and the cause of the chain-pulling incident is under investigation.

Officials highlighted the curvature of the tracks as a significant factor in the tragedy, which occurred near Pachora between Maheji and Pardhane stations around 5 p.m. The Pushpak Express was en route from Lucknow to Mumbai, and most victims were from Uttar Pradesh.