Around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, a local train that connected the coal township of Gevra with the Bilaspur junction in Chhattisgarh rear ended a stationary cargo rake due to what preliminary reports suggested was a signal breach. The engine and a coach climbed the roof of the final wagon, killing eight passengers and injuring at least seventeen in a crush of metal.
With the exception of level crossing fatalities, the collision between the freight train and the MEMU Local, short for mainline electric multiple unit, was this year's sixth deadly railway accident.
Raipur, the capital, is about 170 kilometers away from the accident scene in Gatora-Lalkhadan. According to early eyewitness reports, a number of passengers were stuck in the debris for a considerable amount of time before rescue personnel could get to them.
According to a statement from South East Central Railway, the loco pilot failed to notice an automatic signal. "Signal passed at danger (SPAD) by the MEMU train seems to be the reason (for the crash), based on a preliminary assessment by railway authorities," said the statement. The Commissioner of Railway Safety would carry out a thorough investigation to determine the cause, according to the statement.
The Railway Safety Commissioner would carry out a thorough investigation and suggest any necessary remedial measures. According to the railway division, a medical team and a relief train were sent right away from Bilaspur to the accident scene.
The family of each deceased person, none of whom had been identified until late at night, were given Rs 10 lakh in ex gratia by the railways. Passengers with slight injuries would earn Rs 1 lakh each, while those with critical ailments will receive Rs 5 lakh.
According to Bilaspur district collector Sanjay Agrawal, "the injured are being treated at the state-run Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences and private hospitals."
In a post on X, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed his condolences for the fatalities and promised that the state government will take all necessary steps to help those impacted. "Relief and rescue efforts are being carried out by teams from the administration and the railways.
The injured are being treated with all the resources and medical support they require," he added. According to officials, a number of helplines are available to provide updates on the accident, including 7777857335, 7869953330, 8085956528, 9752485600, 8294730162, and 7869953330.
In Maharashtra's Jalgaon and Mumbra, Odisha's Cuttack, Jharkhand's Barhait, Bihar's Semapur, and Chhattisgarh, there have been 28 verified train related fatalities since January.
