Maharashtra`s Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, has confirmed that the tragic Jalgaon train accident, which led to the death of 13 passengers and injured 15, was the result of a false rumour spread by a tea-seller aboard the Pushpak Express.
On Wednesday evening, passengers travelling on the Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express were thrown into panic after a tea-seller in the train`s pantry falsely claimed that a fire had broken out in one of the coaches. This sparked confusion among some passengers, particularly two from Shravasti in Uttar Pradesh, who then spread the rumour to others. The panic quickly escalated, leading to chaos in the general coach and the adjoining one.
As the rumour spread, some frightened passengers, fearing for their lives, jumped off the train, attempting to escape the perceived fire. The train, travelling at high speed, had already caused significant distress when one passenger pulled the emergency alarm chain. Following the halt, passengers began exiting the train, unaware that another train, the Karnataka Express, was travelling on the adjacent track.
The Karnataka Express, which was headed from Bengaluru to Delhi, tragically ran over several of the passengers who had jumped off the Pushpak Express. The collision was so intense that several of the victims lost their lives, with some bodies suffering severe mutilation, as per PTI reports.
“The accident was a direct result of a sheer rumour about a fire,” stated Deputy CM Ajit Pawar while speaking to reporters in Pune. He elaborated that the tea-seller`s claim caused widespread panic, with some passengers taking extreme measures to flee the situation. He confirmed that two of the passengers who initially spread the false rumour were among those injured in the incident.
Officials, along with the district guardian minister, arrived at the scene promptly. After assessing the situation, they facilitated the resumption of train services in both directions. Pawar also confirmed that 10 of the 13 deceased have been identified, with investigations into the accident continuing.
The incident, which took place in Jalgaon district of Maharashtra, has brought to light the devastating consequences of misinformation, with authorities now urging passengers to remain calm and rely on verified information during emergencies. PTI reports that the state government has promised assistance to the families of the victims and has vowed to take necessary measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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