At least six people were killed and several others injured after a passenger train collided with a goods train on the Bilaspur-Katni railway line in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday evening.
The collision prompted a massive rescue and relief operation by railway and district authorities, who rushed their respective teams to the spot within minutes of the incident.
Preliminary reports indicate that the Korba Passenger Train was involved in a collision with a stationary freight train near the Belha station area. The impact was so severe that several coaches of the passenger train were derailed, leaving many passengers trapped inside.
Soon after the accident, teams from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), and local administration rushed to the site. Rescue efforts continued late into the evening, with emergency medical teams and cranes deployed to extricate victims from mangled coaches.
The injured passengers were shifted to nearby hospitals in Bilaspur, where the condition of some remains critical. The South East Central Railway (SECR) confirmed that the overhead electric lines and signalling system were badly damaged, disrupting rail traffic on the busy corridor. Several trains have been cancelled, diverted, or delayed as a result.
Railway authorities have ordered a high level inquiry into the incident to determine the cause of the collision. While initial suspicion points to a possible signal failure or human error, officials said a technical investigation will reveal the exact sequence of events.
A medical relief train and special rescue units have been sent to the site from Bilaspur and Korba. Senior railway officials, including the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), have reached the accident spot to monitor rescue operations.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the loss of lives and directed the administration to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured. “Rescue and relief operations are underway. I have asked officials to remain at the site till the last passenger is evacuated,” he said.
Senior railway officials confirmed that train movement on the Bilaspur-Katni section remains suspended, with several services cancelled or diverted as debris removal and signal restoration continue. The South East Central Railway (SECR) has set up passenger helplines at Champa, Raigarh and near the accident site to assist families of travellers. Preliminary findings suggest that a possible signal failure or coordination lapse between control cabins may have led to the collision, though an inquiry committee will determine the exact cause.
