Friday evening saw a tragic incident in Odishas Balasore district, resulting in the loss of lives of atleast 280 individuals and causing injuries to over 900 people. The accident involved three trains: the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train.The accident occurred at around 7 PM on Friday when the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, en route to Chennai, rammed into a static goods train approximately 300 meters away from Bahanaga Bazar station. As a result, some of its coaches got derailed and collided with the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, traveling at a high speed in the opposite direction on the third track. As the tragic train accident in Odisha continue to claim more lives, it is a somber reminder of some of the deadliest train accidents that have occurred in India over the past few decades. Here is a compilation of some of these devastating incidents.In June 1981, a catastrophic incident took place during a cyclone, resulting in the loss of at least 800 lives. The tragedy unfolded when seven rear coaches of an overcrowded passenger train were forcefully derailed and plunged into a river. The magnitude of the disaster was devastating, leaving a lasting impact on the collective memory.#Bihar #derailment, #India, resulted in the approximate #death of 800 #people, occurred in June 1981 when it was crossing a #bridge over the #Bagmati #River near the #city of #Mansi hit by a #cyclone.#ACCIDENT #TRAIN #worst #IndianRailways #Disaster https://t.co/pGPqTInYhy pic.twitter.com/Q1lWW4s5vB— My Bharat (@MyBharat_Me) January 5, 2022In July 1988, a tragic incident unfolded near Quilon in southern India, claiming the lives of at least 106 individuals. Known as the Peruman railway accident, it occurred on July 8, 1988, when an express train derailed on the Peruman bridge spanning Ashtamudi Lake in Kerala. As a result of the derailment, ten carriages of the train plummeted into the water, leading to the devastating loss of lives. The incident serves as a poignant reminder of the profound impact such accidents can have on communities.In August 1995, a tragic incident took place approximately 200 kilometers from Delhi, resulting in the loss of lives for at least 350 individuals. Known as the Firozabad rail disaster, it occurred on August 20, 1995, at 02:55. The calamity unfolded when a passenger train collided with another train that had come to a halt after colliding with a nilgai, a type of antelope. The collision had devastating consequences, further underscoring the importance of ensuring safety measures in the railway system.People are saying they havent seen a train accident of #BalasoreTrainAccident magnitude. As a young reporter, I covered the Ferozabad Train accident that had occurred on 20 August 1995 near Firozabad on the Delhi-Kanpur section of Indias Northern Railway, at 2:55 AM when… pic.twitter.com/RP4ltQMg8y— Pramod Kumar Singh (@SinghPramod2784) June 3, 2023In August 1999, a tragic incident unfolded near Kolkata, resulting in the loss of lives for at least 285 individuals. The collision occurred at the remote Gaisal station in West Bengal when two trains, carrying approximately 2,500 people, collided. The accident was attributed to a signaling error, as both trains were mistakenly directed onto the same track. This unfortunate event took place as three out of the four tracks on the line were closed for maintenance, leading to a critical lapse in the operational protocols. The incident serves as a reminder of the crucial importance of ensuring proper maintenance and adherence to safety procedures within the railway system.Worst train accidents in Indias history•6th June,1981-Bihar- 750 people killed. •20th August,1995-UP-305 people killed. •26th Nov,1998-Punjab-212 people killed. •2nd August,1999-West Bengal-285 people killed. •20th Nov,2016-UP-152 people killed. •2nd…— Sashanka Chakraborty 🇮🇳 (@SashankGuw) June 3, 2023In October 2005, a tragic incident occurred near Velugonda in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, resulting in the derailment of multiple coaches of a passenger train. The accident took place on October 29, 2005, and led to the devastating loss of lives, with at least 77 individuals losing their lives. The incident serves as a somber reminder of the need for continuous efforts to enhance railway safety and prevent such accidents from happening in the future.In July 2011, a tragic incident unfolded in Fatehpur, resulting in the derailment of a mail train and the loss of numerous lives. On July 10, 2011, at 12:20, the Howrah-Kalka Mail experienced a derailment near Malwan, leading to the unfortunate deaths of around 70 individuals and leaving over 300 injured. Distressing reports indicated the occurrence of fire and sparks in the AC compartments of the train, adding to the severity of the incident. The event highlights the critical importance of maintaining and enhancing safety measures within the railway system to prevent such tragedies and ensure the well-being of passengers.In May 2012, a tragic incident occurred near Andhra Pradesh involving a cargo train and the Hubli-Bangalore Hampi Express. On May 22, 2012, the two trains collided, leading to a derailment and causing approximately 25 fatalities and around 43 injuries. The mishap served as a somber reminder of the importance of implementing stringent safety measures and conducting thorough investigations to prevent such accidents and safeguard the lives of passengers.Image: twitterIn May 2014, a tragic incident occurred in the Sant Kabir Nagar area of Uttar Pradesh. On May 26, the Gorakhdham Express, en route to Gorakhpur, collided with a stationary goods train near Khalilabad station. The collision resulted in the loss of 25 lives and left over 50 people injured. This unfortunate event served as a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining proper communication and safety protocols to prevent such accidents and ensure the well-being of passengers.In November 2016, a tragic incident unfolded in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. On November 20, the Indore-Patna Express 19321 derailed near Pukhrayan, Kanpur, resulting in a devastating loss of lives. The accident occurred around 3:10 am, causing approximately 146 fatalities and leaving over 200 people injured. Fourteen carriages of the express train were derailed, leading to widespread destruction and a significant impact on the affected passengers and their families. This incident served as a grim reminder of the need for continuous efforts to enhance railway safety and prevent such tragedies in the future.In January 2017, a tragic incident unfolded in southern Andhra Pradesh, claiming the lives of at least 41 people. On January 21, the Hirakhand Express 18448, a passenger train traveling from Jagdalpur to Bhubaneswar, derailed near the village of Kuneru in Vizianagaram. The derailment of several coaches resulted in a devastating loss of lives and caused significant disruptions to the railway system. The incident served as a stark reminder of the importance of ensuring the safety and maintenance of railway infrastructure to prevent such accidents in the future.In August 2017, a tragic incident occurred in Muzaffarnagar when the Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express derailed, resulting in the loss of 23 lives and causing injuries to nearly 60 individuals. The derailment took place on August 19, around 5:45 pm, near Khatauli in the Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. Out of the 23 coaches of the train, 14 derailed, leading to a devastating impact. The Utkal Express was en route from Puri to Haridwar when the accident occurred, leaving a profound impact on the affected passengers and highlighting the need for enhanced safety measures in the railway sector.In August 2017, a significant train accident occurred near Auraiya, Uttar Pradesh, involving the Delhi-bound Kaifiyat Express. On August 23, the train collided with a dump truck on the railway line, resulting in the derailment of nine coaches. The incident led to at least 70 injuries, highlighting the importance of ensuring proper safety measures and vigilance in railway operations to prevent such accidents.In October 2018, a tragic incident occurred in Amritsar, northern India, during the celebration of Dussehra. A commuter train plowed through a crowd that had gathered on the tracks to witness the festivities. The unfortunate accident resulted in the loss of at least 59 lives, while 57 individuals sustained injuries. This devastating incident serves as a reminder of the importance of ensuring safety measures and crowd management during public gatherings and events.
