Six Feared Dead as Passenger Train Collides with Goods Train in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur

At least six people are feared dead and several others injured after a passenger train collided with a stationary goods train in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur district on Tuesday, officials said. The accident occurred near the Lal Khadan area on the Bilaspur–Katni route, when the passenger train rammed into the rear of the goods train, causing several coaches to derail.

The impact of the collision was severe, with coaches reportedly climbing over one another and overhead electrical wires snapping. Rescue and relief operations were immediately launched by railway authorities, police, and local administration. Emergency medical teams rushed the injured to nearby hospitals, while senior officials of the South East Central Railway (SECR) zone reached the site to supervise the rescue work.

Railway officials have yet to confirm the exact cause of the accident but indicated that a detailed investigation is underway to determine whether signalling or human error led to the crash. The Railway Protection Force and disaster management teams have been deployed to assist in the clearance of the damaged tracks and restoration of services.

Several trains on the Bilaspur–Katni line have been cancelled or diverted as the affected section remains closed for repair and recovery. The railways have also released helpline numbers for passengers’ relatives seeking information about their loved ones.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos following the collision, as passengers scrambled for safety amid mangled coaches and debris. “We heard a loud bang, and people started screaming,” said a local resident who helped in the rescue efforts. Authorities have assured that relief operations are continuing on a war footing and that accountability will be fixed after the probe.