Jalgaon train tragedy eyewitness recounts how tea seller spread fire rumour

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday (January 23, 2025) said the Jalgaon train accident was the result of a "sheer rumour" about fire by a tea-seller inside the Pushpak Express, which led to panic and some passengers jumping off.

Some passengers of the Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express, who got off the train after an alarm chain-pulling incident, were run over by the Karnataka Express heading from Bengaluru to Delhi on the adjacent tracks in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district on Wednesday (January 22, 2025) evening.

Thirteen persons were killed and 15 injured in the accident, as per officials.

Speaking to the reporters in Pune, Mr. Pawar said, "A tea-seller from the pantry shouted about a fire having broken out in a coach."