On Tuesday afternoon, a MEMU passenger train (No. 68733) rammed into a goods train near Bilaspur railway station in Chhattisgarh, leaving at least two persons injured.
The incident occurred around 4 pm, after which railway authorities swung into action, the Hindustan Times reported.
According to the Railway PRO, both the injured persons have been taken for treatment, and all possible measures are being taken.
For the convenience of passengers and their families seeking information, authorities have released emergency help line numbers. At the accident site, the helpline numbers are 9752485499 and 8602007202, and contact lines are at Champa Junction-808595652, Raigarh-975248560, and Pendra Road-8294730162 to assist them.
Bilaspur Collector Sanjay Agarwal said that four people have lost their lives in the accident. A police officer at the site said that efforts are ongoing to free two passengers who are trapped, Hindustan Times reported.
Ex-gratia announced
According to an official bulletin, cited by the Hindustan Times, an ex-gratia has been announced. ₹10 lakh for the families of the deceased, ₹5 lakh for those critically injured, and ₹1 lakh for passengers who suffered minor injuries. The statement also said that senior railway officials are on-site, personally overseeing rescue and relief efforts.
As per the report by the Hindustan Times, this latest mishap comes amid renewed concerns over rail safety across India. Just weeks ago, four people, including a woman and her daughter, were run over by the Amrapali Express in Bihar’s Begusarai district while trying to cross flooded tracks. In another incident in September, four members of a family were killed after being hit by the Vande Bharat Express near Pandarak railway station in Patna’s Barh area.
Further details on the Bilaspur collision are awaited as officials investigate what caused the accident.
{This is a developing story. Please stay tuned with us for the latest updates.}
