RANCHI: At least two people were killed and several others injured after a passenger train ran over them late in the evening on Wednesday near Kali-Jharia at Jamtara district in Jharkhand. The death toll may rise as many others are said to have been seriously injured in the accident.
Police also confirmed two casualties. Rescue operations are underway. “Two bodies have been recovered so far. A search is still being conducted near the railway track,” said Jamtara SP Animesh Naithany. It was a bit difficult for the police to conduct the search as it is dark everywhere, he added.
The SP said three ambulances have been roped in to rush the injured passengers to hospital. According to locals, the incident took place after people jumped from the Ang Express after an alarm was raised about the train catching fire and were subsequently run over by the Asansol-Jasidih passenger train.
“The metal (boulders) dumped near the railway tracks were creating a loud noise besides causing sparks under the train, following which the train was stopped fearing possible derailment. Passengers panicked fearing that the train had caught fire and jumped from it,” said a local requesting anonymity.
As soon as they jumped from the train, they were run over by the Asansol-Jasidih passenger train leading to the deaths of two people on the spot, while many others were injured and have been taken to the hospital, he added.
Jamtara MLA Irfan Ansari said he will be leaving for the accident site. “I have given directions to identify those responsible for it. We will also raise the issue in the Assembly. The deceased have not been identified yet,” said the MLA.
Railway officials, however, claimed that the two people who died were not passengers but people walking on the track who were run over by another train. A three-member committee has been formed to probe the issue, they said.