Eleven people died in India when passengers fled for fear of being hit by another train

At least 11 people were killed and five injured after they fled rumors of a fire on a train in India, only to be hit by another train.

Passengers got off the Mumbai-bound train in the western state of Maharashtra after someone pulled an emergency rope, bringing it to a halt, railway officials said.

They were hit by a train on nearby tracks. It is unclear whether there actually was a fire.

India has launched a $30 billion program to modernize its railways in recent years but the program has been marred by a series of accidents, including the crash. a major three-train accident in 2023 in the state of Odisha killing nearly 300 people.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in a post on X that he was “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life” in the incident near Pachora in Jalgaon district, about 400 km.

He said eight ambulances were dispatched and hospitals were always ready.

The accident will be seen as a setback for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has called for railway modernization to boost the economy and connectivity.

Reuters news agency reported plans to increase spending on the program in next month’s budget.