According to local media, at least 11 individuals lost their lives in a rail accident in the western Indian state of Maharashtra on Wednesday after getting off their train out of fear of a fire and being struck by another train that was traveling on the nearby track.
The train came to a stop after someone pulled the alarm chain, according to railway officials who told local media. Several people then got off the train and were run down by another train that was passing by.
Praveen Gedam, a senior railways officer in the Nashik district, told ANI news agency—in which Reuters holds a minority stake—that 11 people had killed in the accident and five others were injured, according to the information.
Ambulances had been sent to the scene, which is roughly 400 kilometers from Mumbai, the financial center of India, and plans were in place to treat the injured, according to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
“Emergency supplies, such as floodlights and glass cutters, have also been prepared,” he stated on X.
In an effort to increase connectivity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is investing $30 billion to improve Indian Railways, the fourth-largest train network in the world.
However, its reputation has been damaged by rail catastrophes over the past two years, including one in 2023 that claimed the lives of at least 288 people.
According to a Reuters report earlier this week, India intends to increase expenditure on railway modernization in the federal budget, which will be presented next month.
