Railway Officials said drivers of both trains followed the protocol and tried their best to avoid the accident.
A false fire alarm in a Mumbai-bound express train turned out to be fatal for 12 people as it led to a mass panic and several passengers onboard jumped out of the train, only to be run over by another train on the adjacent tracks in Maharashtra's Jalgaon on Wednesday.
Central Railway officials told PTI that as many as 15 other passengers were injured in the accident, which took place between Maheji and Pardhade stations near Pachora town in North Maharashtra's Jalgaon district, when Pushpak Express halted after someone pulled the chain around 4.45 pm.
The tragedy unfolded when passengers onboard the 12533 Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express, fearing a fire when sparks flew from the train's wheels, hastily jumped onto the adjacent tracks and were run over by the oncoming Karnataka Express heading from Bengaluru to Delhi.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressing his condolences for the lives lost in the accident, announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of the kin of the deceased passengers.
The Commissioner of Railway Safety, Central Circle, will probe the circumstances that led to this accident.
The accident took place between Maheji and Pardhade stations near Pachora, more than 400 km from Mumbai, where the 12533 Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express had halted after someone pulled the chain.
Some passengers of the Pushpak Express jumped off, and were hit by the oncoming Karnataka Express heading from Bengaluru to Delhi, said Central Railway's chief spokesperson Swapnil Nila.
IG Karale told PTI that a "fire incident" occurred on Pushpak Express, at km 372/07 between Maheji and Pardhade stations. The train stopped at the location, and some passengers disembarked. Train No. 12627, Bengaluru-New Delhi Karnataka Express hit people standing on the railway tracks, he added.
Pushpak Express departed from the spot in just 15 minutes, while the Karnataka Express was removed within 20 minutes after the accident, a railway official said.
"Six to seven people have been injured. All injured passengers are being treated at the hospital, none of their injuries are serious. Both trains have reached their respective next stations and the accident site has been cleared," the senior police official added.
Visuals from the accident spot showed a few bodies and severed body parts.
"Our preliminary information is that there were sparks and smoke inside one of the general coaches of Pushpak Express due to either `hot axle' or `brake-binding' (jamming), and some passengers panicked. They pulled the chain, and some of them jumped down. At the same time, Karnataka Express was passing," a senior railway official had told PTI earlier.
An Accident Relief Train has been dispatched to the spot from Bhusaval, and Central Railway is making all efforts to provide medical aid to the injured passengers, an official statement said.
Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan also reached the spot. The injured are being treated in a hospital in Pachora and most of them were out of danger, he said.
In a video message from Davos in Switzerland, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, "Some passengers in the train mistakenly assumed that smoke is coming out of the train and they jumped. Unfortunately, they were ran over by another train."
He announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of the kin of the passengers who died in the tragedy, while the Commissioner of Railway Safety, Central Circle, will probe the circumstances leading to the accident.
"The tragic loss of lives in a very unfortunate incident near Pachora in Jalgaon district (which) is deeply distressing. I pay my heartfelt tributes to them," Fadnavis posted on X.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said prima facie passengers of Pushpak Express jumped off the train amid rumours of a fire on board the train.
Manoj Arora, CRS, Central Circle, told PTI he would reach the accident site between Pardhade and Maheji railway stations near Pachora, over 400 km from Mumbai, on Thursday morning.
Arora, also holding additional charge of CRS Western Circle, said statements of passengers and other eye-witnesses will be recorded.
"We will invite passengers and other eye-witnesses. They can share their version about the accident," he said.
A railway official of the Bhusawal division of Central Railway said the CRS will also speak to crew members of the trains involved in the accident.
Railway Officials said drivers of both trains followed the protocol and tried their best to avoid the accident.
A senior Central Railway official said the driver of the Lucknow-CSMT Pushpak Express had turned on the flasher light as per the rule when the train stopped between Maheji and Pardhade stations near Pachora, more than 400 km from Mumbai.
He said the driver of Karnataka Express applied brakes after seeing the flasher light signal of Pushpak Express.
"However, the visibility of the train (Karnataka Express) and its braking distance was affected by the track curvature," he added citing preliminary information.
According to railway officials, trains run at more than 100 kmph in this section which falls under the trunk route of the railway.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday expressed his grief at the deaths and called for immediate compensation to the victims and punishment to the guilty.
In a post on X he wrote, "Our deepest condolences to the bereaved families of the victims, we pray for the peace of the departed souls. We wish for the speedy recovery of the injured."
"The government and administration are requested to provide immediate and appropriate compensation to the victims and take strict legal action against those guilty of spreading rumours," he added.
He also urged the party workers to pitch in with the relief work.
Congress general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said the reports of deaths were deeply disturbing.
"My sincere condolences to the families of the innocent victims of this tragedy. I urge the administration to take speedy measures to ensure rescue operations for the affected passengers.
"All Congress workers in the region are also instructed to assist the authorities in the relief measures in full swing," Venugopal said in a post on X.