Panic on Howrah-Amritsar Mail: Six injured after jumping from moving train

A false alarm about a fire on the Howrah-Amritsar Mail led to chaos and injuries near Bilpur station in Uttar Pradesh on August 11. Six passengers were hospitalised after leaping from the moving train in panic.

The incident occurred in a general coach as the train approached Bilpur station in the Moradabad division. Rumours of a fire spread rapidly among passengers, prompting someone to pull the emergency chain. Despite the train still being in motion, several passengers jumped out, resulting in injuries.

Government Railway Police (GRP) station in-charge Rehan Khan reported that six individuals, including two women, required medical attention at Shahjahanpur Medical College. The injured passengers range in age from 26 to 50 years old.

Initially, Northern Railway spokesperson Kultar Singh stated that 12 passengers had been injured. However, this number was later revised down to six confirmed hospitalisations.

Railway officials suspect the panic may have been triggered by the misuse of a fire extinguisher.

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has launched an investigation into the incident to determine the exact cause of the panic and identify any potential wrongdoing.