Bilaspur
The death toll in the train collision near Bilaspur railway station in Chhattisgarh has risen to 11, with bodies recovered from the mangled wreckage.
The accident occurred around 4 pm on Tuesday when a passenger MEMU train from Gevra rammed into a stationary goods train near Bilaspur.
According to railway officials, the collision was so severe that one coach of the passenger train mounted a wagon of the goods train. Twenty passengers were injured, several of them seriously, and were rushed to Apollo Hospital and the Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) in Bilaspur.
Railway officials said the passenger train hit the goods train from behind at a speed of about 60 to 70 kmph after overshooting a red signal. Loco pilot Vidya Sagar was among those killed, while assistant loco pilot Rashmi Raj sustained serious injuries. The goods train’s guard jumped out moments before impact and suffered minor injuries.
The Railways announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh each for families of the deceased, ₹5 lakh for the seriously injured, and ₹1 lakh for those with minor injuries. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief and announced additional state compensation of ₹5 lakh for families of the dead and ₹50,000 for the injured.
A detailed investigation has been ordered by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) to determine the cause and prevent such incidents in the future.
