Four dead as MEMU passenger train collides with freight train near Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur
Raipur: At least four people were killed and two others were missing in a tragic railway accident that shook Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, when a MEMU passenger train travelling from Gevra Road to Bilaspur collided with a stationary freight train near Bilaspur station, officials said.
Several others have sustained injuries.
The collision occurred around 4 p.m. on the up line between Gatora and Bilaspur stations, in the South East Central Railway (SECR) zone.
Bilaspur Collector Sanjay Agarwal confirmed four fatalities, with a police officer at the scene reporting two passengers still trapped under debris as hydraulic cutters worked frantically to extricate them.
Over a dozen others sustained injuries, ranging from fractures to severe trauma.
“We lost four precious lives; rescue teams are using every resource to free the trapped, two more people are being extricated, but we cannot say anything about them as of now,” Agarwal told reporters amid chaotic scenes at Lal Khadan, where locals and onlookers swelled into a massive crowd.
The MEMU service number 68733 was en route to Bilaspur when it rammed into the rear of a freight train near Lal Khand, just outside Bilaspur railway station.
The impact was so severe that the leading coach of the MEMU train mounted the freight rake, causing extensive damage and triggering panic among passengers.
Eyewitness videos, circulating on social media, show the passenger coach perched atop the freight wagons, underscoring the force of the collision.
Railway officials, including SECR General Manager Tarun Prakash and Bilaspur Divisional Railway Manager Rajmal Khoiwal, rushed to the site to oversee rescue and relief operations.
Medical teams and ambulances were swiftly deployed, and injured passengers were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
According to the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of SECR, two people have been officially confirmed injured, though local reports suggest the death toll may rise as rescue efforts continue.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation. Preliminary reports indicate that both trains ended up on the same track, but it is unclear whether this was due to a signalling failure or human error. A high-level inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the collision.
Train services on the affected route have been suspended or diverted, and the railway has issued helpline numbers for families seeking information about their loved ones. Compensation for the victims is expected to be announced following the completion of initial assessments.
The accident has drawn a large crowd to the site, with local authorities working alongside railway personnel to manage the situation and ensure the safety of onlookers. As the nation reels from yet another rail tragedy, questions are being raised about safety protocols and infrastructure readiness in one of India’s busiest railway zones.
