The collision between a passenger and a freight train in central India had tragic consequences. At least eight victims and dozens injured, investigations will reveal its causes.
At least eight dead after a passenger and freight train collided in India
- Eight people died in a train collision in central India.
- Approximately twenty people were injured and hospitalized.
- The accident took place near the city of Biláspur and caused casualties.
At least eight people were killed when a passenger and freight train collided in central India on Tuesday. About 20 others were injured and taken to hospital, a senior government official said. TASR informs about it according to the report of the AP agency.
A local passenger train collided with a freight train from behind near the city of Biláspur. One of his wagons ended up on the carriage of a freight train, said Sanjay Agarwal, a high-ranking official of the city’s government, to the AP agency.
Officials on accident details
The official reported that two or three other passengers were trapped in the mangled carriage and likely perished.
The driver of the passenger train was also among the dead, while his female passenger was seriously injured. She was taken to a private hospital, Agarwal added.
Causes of the accident and measures
In a statement, rail operator Indian Railways said it has deployed all its resources for rescue operations. He added that an investigation into the cause of the accident had been started. He also announced financial assistance for the families of the deceased and injured.
Train crashes are not uncommon in India. More than 12 million people travel every day in 14,000 trains on 64,000 kilometers of rails. Despite the government’s efforts to improve railway safety, several hundred accidents occur every year, some of which are fatal. They are often attributed to human error or outdated signaling systems.
More than 280 people died in an accident in the eastern part of the country in 2023. It was one of the deadliest railway accidents in India.
