At least 11 people were killed and five others injured after fleeing rumors of a fire on board their train in India, only to be hit by another train.
Railway officials said passengers got off the train bound for Mumbai in the western state of Maharashtra after someone pulled the emergency cable, causing it to stop.
They were hit by a train on the adjacent track. It was not immediately clear whether there was actually a fire.
India launched a $30m (£24bn) program to modernize its railway lines in recent years, but this program has been marred by a series of accidents, including A major three-train collision in 2023 in Odisha Which left about 300 dead.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in a post on X that he was “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life” during the accident that occurred near Bachora in Jalgaon district, about 400 kilometers from Mumbai, India's financial capital.
He added that eight ambulances were sent and hospitals were placed on standby.
The accident will be seen as a setback for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has called for railway modernization to boost the economy and connectivity.
Reuters reported that there are plans to increase spending on the program in next month's budget.
