Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday expressed grief over the death of many people in the rail accident that took place after a rumor of fire in the Pushpak Express train. He said that action should be taken against those who spread rumors and the victim families should be given proper compensation. In Maharashtra's Jalgaon district, some passengers who got on the track after a rumor of fire in a train on Wednesday evening were hit by another train coming from the opposite direction on the nearby track and at least 12 people died in this accident. 

Provide all possible help to the affected families

Mallikarjun Kharge posted on 'X', "The news of the death of many people due to the rumor of fire in Pushpak Express in Jalgaon, Maharashtra is very painful. Many people have also been injured. Our deepest condolences to the bereaved families of the victims, we pray for the peace of the departed souls. Wishing the injured a speedy recovery." He said, "The government and administration are requested to provide immediate and proper compensation to the victims and strict legal action should be taken against those who spread rumors. An appeal to the Congress leaders and workers is that they should provide all possible help to the victim families in this hour of grief."

Someone pulled the chain due to a rumour 

Special Inspector General of Police (IG) Dattatraya Karale said 12 bodies were sent to a nearby civil hospital while six to seven people were injured. Central Railway officials said the mishap occurred between Maheji and Pardhade stations near Pachora, over 400 km from Mumbai, when the Lucknow-Pushpak Express stopped after someone pulled the chain around 5 pm due to rumours of a fire in the train. They, however, did not confirm the death toll. Central Railway chief spokesperson Swapnil Neela said some passengers of the Pushpak Express came down on the tracks and were hit by the Karnataka Express, which was going from Bengaluru to Delhi. 

Accident between Maheji and Pardhade station

Karale said, "Pushpak Express stopped at kilometer number 372/07 between Maheji and Pardhade stations and some passengers got down. During this, they were hit by train number 12627 (Bengaluru-New Delhi Karnataka Express)." He said, "Six to seven passengers were injured. All the injured passengers are being treated in the hospital. No one has suffered any serious injury. Both trains have reached their next scheduled stations and the debris has been removed from the accident site." A railway official said that Pushpak Express left the accident site within just 15 minutes of the accident, while Karnataka Express resumed its onward journey in 20 minutes. 

Spark came out due to brake binding 

Girish Mahajan, a minister in the Maharashtra government, also reached the accident site. He said that the injured are being treated at a hospital in Pachora and most of them are out of danger. In the video related to the accident, dead bodies and mutilated body parts of some people can be seen at the accident site. Earlier, a senior railway official had said, "We have received initial information that a spark came out due to 'hot axle' or 'brake binding' (jamming) in a coach of Pushpak Express and some passengers panicked. They pulled the chain. Some passengers jumped on the track. At the same time, Karnataka Express was passing through the nearby track."