Maharashtra train accident: Karnataka Express arrived 20 minutes after Pushpak halted by chain pulling

New Delhi: Despite having 20 minutes time in hand after getting down from the Pushpak Express, passengers were standing on tracks instead of moving to safe locations in the Jalgaon train tragedy, said the railway ministry officials here.

The passengers, who got down from Pushpak Express, had adequate time to move to safe areas, but they kept standing on adjacent tracks without realising another train was coming, said the officials.

Twelve passengers of the Mumbai-bound Pushpak Express, who got off the train, were run over by the Karnataka Express heading from Bengaluru to Delhi on the adjacent tracks in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district on Wednesday evening.

Citing videos shared by passengers prior to the tragedy, the official said that the Pushpak Express was halted soon after the alarm chain was pulled by passengers. The passengers, who were alighted by the train, strayed on an adjacent track instead of moving to safer places. After 20 minutes of Pushpak Express stopping, Karnataka Express came on another track, where many passengers were standing, crushed to death.

“Pushpak Express stopped between Maheji and Pardhade stations in Jalgaon district at 4:45 pm and Karnataka Express arrived at the site at around 5:05. There was almost a gap of 20 minutes,” a railway official said.

Had passengers kept in mind possible train movement on another track and moved to safer places, tragedy would have been avoided, said the official.

Initial reports said that passengers of Pushpak Express pulled the alarm chain after a rumour of fire in one of the coaches and jumped onto the side tracks when the speeding Karnataka Express mowed them down.

Dismissing the news that the passenger jumped from Pushpak Express, the official said that passengers who saw the Karnataka Express approaching moved out of the track, while those who couldn’t notice or didn't get enough time to move away came under it, the official added.

Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information and Publicity, Railway Board, denied that any spark or fire inside the coach caused passengers to pull the alarm chain.

The Railway Board said a five-member team comprising senior railway officials has launched a probe into the tragedy.