Chhattisgarh collision: Overshooting red signal by passenger train likely cause, says Railway Board
New Delhi (PTI): Hours after a local passenger train collided with a goods train near Bilaspur station in Chhattisgarh claiming six lives, the Railway Board on Tuesday said the accident took place as the passenger train seems to have overshot a red signal.
The collision took place around 4 pm when the DEMU (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit) train was heading to Bilaspur from Gevra in neighbouring Korba district, railway officials said, adding it rammed into the goods train from behind between Gatora and Bilaspur stations.
“Passing Signal at Danger by DEMU (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit) train seems to be the reason in the preliminary assessment by railway authorities,” a press note from the Railway Board stated.
“An unfortunate incident involving a collision between a goods train and a DEMU local train occurred near Bilaspur railway station today. The Railway Administration has taken swift action to initiate relief and rescue operations on a war footing,” the press note said.
Senior officials have reached the site and are closely monitoring the situation, it said, adding six persons died and five were injured in the incident.
The injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals for immediate medical assistance, the note said.
According to the Railway Board, ex gratia compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased, Rs 5 lakh to those grievously injured and Rs 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,” the Board said.
It added, “A detailed inquiry into the incident will be conducted at the level of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) to ascertain the exact cause and recommend necessary corrective actions.”
Emergency contact numbers of Bilaspur – 7777857335, 7869953330; Champa – 8085956528; Raigarh – 9752485600; Pendra Road – 8294730162; Korba – 7869953330 and Uslapur – 7777857338, have been made operational for the convenience of passengers and their families.
“Passengers and their relatives may contact these numbers for necessary information and assistance. The Railway Administration continues to monitor the situation closely and is ensuring all possible relief and support to the affected,” the Board said.
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'Ab kya hoga, ye rab jane...': Tharoor takes dig at failed US-Iran talks in Pakistan
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New Delhi (PTI): Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday took a swipe at the "failed" US-Iran peace talks in Pakistan with an Urdu couplet, saying only god knows now what will happen.
"Ab kya hoga, ye rab jane; Na woh mane, na ye mane (only god knows what will happen now as both sides did not agree)," Tharoor said on X, tagging a post-talks video clip of US Vice President J D Vance, who led the American delegation at the negotiations in Islamabad.
The United States and Iran failed to reach a peace deal at their historic 21-hour talks in Pakistan, leaving the fate of a tenuous two-week ceasefire in doubt, with both sides attempting to hold each other responsible for the collapse of the negotiations.
अब क्या होगा, ये रब जाने
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 13, 2026
ना वो माने, ना ये माने https://t.co/DYrXpa7C8h
Vance said the Iranian side did not accept Washington's terms for ending the war even as the US presented its "final and best offer".
Hours after the talks collapsed, US President Donald Trump said on social media that the negotiations with Tehran failed as "Iran is unwilling to give up its nuclear ambitions".
Trump said the US Navy will actively interdict any vessel in international waters found to have paid tolls to Iran for transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the head of the Iranian negotiation team, said it is for the US to decide whether it can "earn our trust or not".
The Iranian foreign ministry, without elaborating, said the US side resorted to "excessive" and "illegal demands".
The failure to reach an agreement has dimmed the prospect of reopening the Strait of Hormuz to stabilise the global energy marke
