At least two people were killed and several others injured after a train ran over passengers near the Kalajharia railway station in Jamtara, Jharkhand, on Wednesday.
According to preliminary reports, the Anga Express was approaching Kalajharia station when the locomotive driver noticed dust rising from the side of the tracks. Believing there might be a fire, the driver stopped the train, prompting passengers to disembark.
However, another train, the Jhajha-Asansol Memu, was approaching on a parallel track at the same time. Passengers who had disembarked from the Anga Express were struck by the Jhajha-Asansol Memu.
Police and medical teams are at the scene. The death toll is expected to rise as more bodies are recovered.
Jamtara SDM Anant Kumar says, "Near the Kalajharia railway crossing, the train stopped and some passengers got off and were run over by another local train. Information was received that some people have died. RPF and the district police are conducting a search operation and two bodies have been recovered so far... The reason for the incident is yet to be determined..."
Jamtara MLA Irfan Ansari said he was on his way to the site and would seek to identify those responsible. "We will also raise the issue in the Assembly," Ansari said. "The deceased have not yet been identified."