Deadly Train Collision in Central India Kills 11, Injures 20 Passengers

A deadly train collision occurred in central India overnight, leaving at least 11 people dead and around 20 injured. The accident happened near Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh when a passenger train collided with a stationary cargo train from behind. One of the passenger coaches ended up perched atop a cargo wagon, forcing rescue teams to work for hours to bring it down and recover the victims.

Among the deceased was the locomotive driver of the passenger train, while the co-pilot, a woman, sustained critical injuries and was admitted to a private hospital. The injured passengers are receiving treatment at local hospitals, and the rescue operation concluded early Wednesday morning. Train services through the accident site have since resumed.

Indian Railways has launched an inquiry into the cause of the crash and announced financial assistance for the families of the deceased and injured. Chhattisgarh’s top official, Vishnu Deo Sai, expressed condolences to the victims’ families.

Train accidents are not uncommon in India, where over 12 million passengers travel daily on approximately 14,000 trains across 64,000 kilometers of track. Despite ongoing efforts to enhance rail safety, hundreds of accidents occur each year, often attributed to human error or outdated signaling systems. The 2023 train disaster in eastern India, which claimed over 280 lives, remains one of the country’s deadliest rail accidents.

This collision highlights ongoing challenges in ensuring rail safety in India, underscoring the need for improved infrastructure, signaling systems, and stricter safety measures to prevent future tragedies.