A horrific train accident occurred at Chunar Railway Station in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, during Kartik Purnima Snan events. Six people who tried to cross the tracks instead of using the footbridge were killed when they were hit by the Netaji Express.
Mirzapur Train Accident Requires Immediate Response
There was an immediate response from the authorities following the collision between the Netaji Express and passengers on Wednesday morning. The National and State Disaster Response Forces (NDRF and SDRF) reached the scene within minutes and quickly brought rescue and recovery efforts under control.
The incident occurred around 9:30 am when the Chopan Express was waiting on the fourth platform, railway officials said. Some passengers, mostly women, were trying to cross the tracks by alighting from the wrong side of the train when tragedy struck when the Netaji Express from Howrah to Kalkaji approached. As the incident took place during a large religious rally, there was intense mobility in the crowd, but the situation was brought under control with the quick intervention of the authorities.
Mirzapur Train Accident Highlights Safety and Accountability
Amit Singh, Public Relations Officer of the Prayagraj Division of the North Central Railway, explained that despite the presence of the footbridge, the victims preferred to cross the tracks directly. The incident was a painful reminder that trespassing on railway tracks continues to be a major cause of fatalities in India. The bodies of the deceased were identified as those of six women aged between 12 and 60 years, who had come from other districts for Kartik Purnima Snan events.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath sent a condolence message and instructed authorities to provide relief and medical support, while Union Minister Anupriya Patel described the incident as a ‘heartbreaking’ tragedy and pledged support to the affected families. Experts say the tragedy shows that there is an urgent need to increase awareness training for travellers, especially at well-attended events such as festivals.
