At least 11 people have tragically lost their lives, and five others were injured after panicked passengers abandoned their train in Maharashtra, India, fleeing rumors of a fire. Railway authorities reported that the Mumbai-bound train had stopped when someone activated the emergency cord. As the passengers disembarked, they were subsequently struck by a train traveling on an adjacent track. The existence of a fire has yet to be confirmed.

In recent years, India has invested around $30 million (£24bn) to enhance its railway systems; however, this initiative has been plagued by a slew of accidents, including a devastating three-train incident in Odisha in 2023 that claimed nearly 300 lives. Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed his sorrow over the loss of life near Pachora in the Jalgaon district, approximately 400 kilometers from Mumbai, the nation's financial hub.

In response to the tragedy, he mentioned that eight ambulances were dispatched to the scene and hospitals were prepared for emergencies. This setback comes as a disappointment for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who championed rail modernization to improve economic growth and connectivity within the country. Upcoming budget discussions are expected to address increased expenditures on the modernization initiative, as reported by Reuters.