At least 13 passengers were murdered and five injured after fleeing rumours of a fire on their train in India, only to be slammed by another train.
Railway officials said the passengers got off the Mumbai-bound train in western Maharashtra after someone pressed the emergency cord, causing it to stop.
They were struck by a train on the neighboring track. It was not immediately obvious if there had been a fire.
India has begun a $30 billion (£24 billion) effort to modernize its railways in recent years, but this has been tarnished by a series of mishaps, including a massive three-train catastrophe in Odisha in 2023 that killed almost 300 people.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis wrote on X that he was “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives” in the tragedy near Pachora in Jalgaon district, roughly 400 kilometers from Mumbai, India’s financial center.
He stated that eight ambulances had been despatched, and hospitals were on standby.
The collapse would be viewed as a blow for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has advocated for railway upgrades to promote the economy and connectivity.
According to Reuters, there are plans to increase funding on the scheme in the next month’s budget.
