At least eight people were killed and 11 others sustained injuries on Tuesday when a local passenger train collided with a goods train near Bilaspur station in Chhattisgarh, with the Railway Board saying that the accident occurred after the passenger train overshot a red signal. People gather after a passenger train collided with a goods train near Bilaspur railway station in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday. (PTI)

According to officials familiar with the matter, the incident took place around 4 pm when the MEMU (mainline electric multiple unit) passenger train was heading to Bilaspur from Gevra in neighbouring Korba district when it rammed into a goods train from behind. The spot is a few kilometres away from Bilaspur city that houses the headquarters of South Eastern Central Railway (SECR) zone.

The impact of the collision was so severe that a coach of the passenger train ended up on top of a wagon of the cargo train, a railway official aware of the matter said.

“So far, eight bodies have been recovered, including four women and four men,” inspector general (Bilaspur Range) Sanjeev Shukla said, adding that rescue operations are still underway, and the death toll may rise once the debris are completely cleared.

Bilaspur collector Sanjay Agrawal said that injured passengers have been shifted to Apollo Hospital and Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) in Bilaspur. “One of the injured was reported to be in critical condition,” he added.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the accident and said the state government stands in full solidarity with the affected families. “The news of the train accident near Bilaspur is extremely heartbreaking. Information has been gathered from the Bilaspur District Collector, and instructions have been issued to provide them with all possible assistance and relief efforts. The state government stands with the affected families during this difficult time,” he said in a post on X in Hindi.

In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, the Railways Board said: “Passing Signal at Danger by MEMU train seems to be the reason in the preliminary assessment by railway authorities.”

It added that a detailed inquiry would be conducted into the incident at the level of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) to ascertain the cause and recommend necessary corrective measures.

“The Railway administration has taken swift action to initiate relief and rescue operations on a war footing,” it said, adding that senior officials have rushed to the site to monitor the situation.

The statement further announced an ex gratia compensation of ₹10 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased, ₹5 lakh to those grievously injured and ₹1 lakh to those with minor injuries have been announced.

“The Railway Administration is extending all possible assistance to the affected passengers and their families. Continuous coordination is being maintained with district authorities and medical teams to ensure prompt relief measures,” it said.