Four passengers, including a child, were killed in a tragic rail accident in the Jhansi Division of North Central Railway on Sunday after panic triggered by a suspected fire scare prompted several people to get off a train and onto an adjacent track, where they were hit by another passing train.
The incident occurred in the Hetampur-Dholpur section of the Jhansi Division under North Central Railway.
According to railway officials, Train No. 19665 Khajuraho-Udaipur Intercity Express came to an unscheduled halt at around 4:15 pm after the emergency alarm chain was pulled in a general coach located near the front of the train.
Eyewitnesses said panic spread among passengers after reports emerged that a mobile phone inside one of the coaches had overheated and was emitting smoke. As rumours of a possible fire circulated, some passengers hurriedly stepped off the train and moved towards a nearby track.
At the same time, Train No. 20424 Firozpur-Seoni Patalkot Express was approaching on the adjoining line. Before the passengers could return to safety, the train struck them, resulting in four deaths on the spot.
The victims were identified as Afreen (35), wife of Nadeem Khan of Agra; her four-year-old son Asad Khan; Shakuntala (60), wife of Bhuri Singh Parmar of Runkata in Agra district; and Virma Devi (60), wife of Girdhari Giri of Bikaner, Rajasthan.
Railway authorities said senior officials from the Railway Administration, Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), and the district administration immediately reached the site and initiated relief measures.
North Central Railway stated that preliminary findings suggest passengers had moved onto the adjacent track while the train remained stationary. The exact sequence of events is being examined through a detailed inquiry ordered by the railway authorities.
Officials have urged passengers not to leave trains during unscheduled halts unless instructed by railway staff and to strictly follow safety protocols while travelling.
The alarm chain mechanism is intended for genuine emergencies requiring an immediate stoppage of a train. Railway authorities have repeatedly cautioned that misuse of the facility can disrupt operations and create dangerous situations.
The Hetampur-Dholpur corridor, part of the busy Jhansi Division network, handles significant passenger and freight traffic, making adherence to track safety norms particularly critical.