Around 4 p.m. local time on Tuesday (November 4), a collision between a passenger train and a freight train occurred in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, resulting in at least 11 deaths and 20 injuries.
According to Indian Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, a moving passenger train collided with a stationary freight train, causing severe damage to the front compartments of the passenger train.
Local media reported that the front compartments of the passenger train were severely deformed, with some parts wedged onto the rear compartments of the freight train. Police and rescue teams are trying to rescue survivors from the passenger cars, while a crowd of onlookers has gathered along the tracks.
Railway authorities have stated that a detailed investigation into the accident will be carried out.
India’s railway network is the fourth largest in the world, with investments of $30 billion in recent years to upgrade infrastructure, acquire new trains, and modernize stations. However, railway accidents are not uncommon in the country.
In 2023, the eastern Indian state of Odisha witnessed one of the most severe train collision accidents in recent years. Three trains collided, resulting in the deaths of 288 people.