“At least 16 people were crushed to death as they tried to cross the rail tracks soon after a train left and failed to spot the Bilaspur-Raipur local on the other track,” police said.
The accident occurred around 7 pm at the manned Tarbahar railway crossing on the outskirts of Bilaspur.
“Three trains reached the crossing simultaneously on three different tracks, ” said District Collector Thakur Ram Singh.