Ranchi: At least two people were crushed to death under a local passenger train at Kalajharia railway station in Jharkhand’s Jamtara.
Many others were injured as passengers panicked on hearing about a fire on a long-distance train.
According to eyewitnesses, they jumped out from the Anga Express – travelling from Bhagalpur to Bengaluru — at Kalajharia station to escape the rumoured fire.
As they tried to cross the tracks, the Jhajha-Asansol Memu passenger train arrived there and ran over two persons. Many others fell down in the chaos and got injured.
However, a Railway official said that there was no fire on the train and the deceased were not train passengers.
“Two persons walking on the track were run over by the train at least 2 km away from train No. 12254 passing from Vidyasagar Kasitar. There is no incident of fire. As of now, two deaths have been confirmed. The deceased are not passengers, they were walking on the track. A 3-member JAG committee has been formed to inquire about the incident,” ANI quoted Eastern Railway CPRO Kaushik Mitra as saying.
Rescue operations are underway.
The Deputy Commissioner of Jamtara said medical teams, four ambulances and three buses have been sent to the spot to transport the injured to Jamtara.
The Railways have also set up following helplines:
Helpline Asansol: 7679523874
Helpline Jamtara: 7679523874.
