At least four people were killed in a tragic railway accident in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district after passengers reportedly jumped off a train following rumours of a fire and were subsequently hit by an oncoming express train. The incident took place near Hetampur railway station on Sunday evening, triggering chaos and panic among passengers. Railway and local administration officials rushed to the spot and launched rescue and relief operations shortly after the accident.
According to preliminary information, Train No. 19665 Khajuraho-Udaipur Intercity Express was travelling through the Hetampur-Dholpur section when panic spread among passengers over reports of a possible fire inside the train.
As fear gripped the coaches, several passengers got down from the train. Officials said the train had come to a halt after an alarm chain was reportedly pulled in one of the general coaches. During the unscheduled stop, a number of passengers stepped onto a nearby railway track.
Train hits passengers on adjacent track
While passengers were on the tracks, Train No. 20424 Firozpur-Seoni Patalkot Express approached from the opposite direction. With little time to react or move away, several people were struck by the speeding train.
In its initial statement, the Railways said some passengers had pulled the emergency chain and disembarked from the train before attempting to cross or move along the tracks. Officials maintained that there was no operational error on the part of the Railways. According to the statement, the accident occurred after passengers entered an active railway line following the chain-pulling incident.
An investigation has been initiated to determine the exact sequence of events and whether additional safety measures are required to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Victims identified
Authorities have identified the four deceased as Afreen (35), Ashad (4), Shakuntala (60) and Veerma Devi (58). The bodies have been sent for further formalities, while officials continue to gather information about the circumstances that led to the tragedy.
Railway authorities have said a detailed inquiry is underway. Officials are examining how the rumour spread, the circumstances under which the train was stopped, and whether any lapses contributed to the accident.
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