Four passengers, including three women and a boy, were killed after jumping off a Udaipur-bound express train and being run over by another train on the adjacent tracks in Morena district on Sunday, officials said.
This incident happened following a false fire alarm and emergency chain pulling, which made the passengers jump off the train in panic.
The incident occurred around 4.15 pm between the Hetampur and Dholpur section of the Jhansi railway division, they said.
A senior official said the four passengers jumped off a general coach in panic amid a rumour of fire after someone pulled the emergency chain.
"Four passengers of the Khajuraho-Udaipur Intercity Express (19665) jumped off a general coach, second from the engine, after panic spread over reports of a fire," North Central Railway's Jhansi division Public Relation Officer Manoj Singh told PTI.
At the same time, the Patalkot Express (20424) from Firozpur in Punjab to Seoni in MP was passing on the adjacent tracks, he added.
The four passengers failed to notice the approaching train and were run over, leading to their deaths.
The incident triggered panic among other passengers, and railway authorities and police were alerted immediately, Singh said.
Railway officials, personnel of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), and the Government Railway Police (GRP) reached the spot, the PRO said.
The exact cause behind the incident is being probed, Singh said.
Morena district collector Lokesh Kumar Jangid, who rushed to the spot, told PTI that the deceased included three women and a boy.
Two deceased women and the minor were from Agra, while another woman hailed from Bikaner, he added.
The collector said sparks and smoke were allegedly noticed in a coach near the locomotive, triggering rumours of fire, prompting some passengers to pull the emergency chain.
He said some passengers jumped off the coach in panic and stood on an adjacent track, unaware that the Patalkot Express was approaching at high speed from the Delhi side.
Sarai Chhola police station house officer KK Singh said rescue and relief operations were launched immediately after information about the incident was received.
He said the deceased were identified as Afreen (35), Ashad (4), Shakuntala (60) and Veerma Devi (58).
(With inputs from PTI)