Four passengers were killed after a rumour of a fire aboard the Khajuraho-Udaipur Intercity Express triggered panic, causing them to get off the train and onto the tracks where they were struck by another train in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district on Sunday, officials told PTI.
The incident took place at around 4.15 pm between the Hetampur and Dholpur section of the Jhansi railway division.
According to officials, panic spread among passengers following reports of a fire on the train, leading to a chain pulling incident. Several passengers hurriedly disembarked from the train.
Speaking to ANI, the man said he was travelling on the Intercity train when someone spread a false rumour that the train had caught fire. According to him, the train stopped and passengers began jumping out. He and his family also got down from the train. While his wife stood outside with one child, another child remained inside the coach. As he went back to check on the child inside, a train coming from the opposite direction ran over several people. He said the incident claimed the lives of his wife and child.