8 dead, 14 injured as passenger train 'jumps' red signal, collides with goods train in Chhattisgarh
Bilaspur (PTI): At least eight persons, including the loco pilot, were killed and 14 others injured after a passenger train allegedly jumped a red signal and collided with a goods train from behind near Bilaspur station in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, officials said.
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), they said.
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, the railway officials said, adding that two to three persons are still feared trapped in the wreckage.
When the passenger train was between Gatora and Bilaspur railway stations on the Howrah-Mumbai rail route section, it rammed into a goods train from behind, according to them.
The spot is a few kilometres away from Bilaspur city, which houses the headquarters of South Eastern Central Railway (SECR) zone.
"So far, eight deaths have been confirmed in the accident. Two to three others are still feared trapped inside the wreckage and efforts are on to evacuate them," Bilaspur Collector Sanjay Agrawal told PTI.
Gas cutters are being used to cut the coach, he said.
The injured passengers have been shifted to Apollo Hospital and Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) hospital in Bilaspur. The condition of one of them is said to be critical, he added.
"The passenger train hit the goods train from behind at a speed of 60 to 70 kmph after overshooting a red signal," a senior railway official said.
"It is now a matter of investigation as to why the loco pilot jumped the red signal and failed to apply the emergency brake in time, even though the goods train was within visible distance," the official said.
Loco pilot of the passenger train, Vidya Sagar, was killed in the accident and assistant loco pilot Rashmi Raj, a female, sustained serious injuries.
He added that the passenger train rammed into the brake van with such a force that it was mangled badly.
The train manager (guard) of the goods train jumped out of the brake van - the last coach of the goods train - at the last moment and sustained minor injuries, the official added.
Both the injured railway personnel have been hospitalised, they added.
The railway authorities have mobilised all resources at the spot, and required measures are being taken for the treatment of the injured persons, the officials said.
As per the visuals, the collision resulted in a coach of the passenger train getting mounted onto a wagon of the goods train.
The railway authorities announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to kin of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh to the seriously injured persons, while those who sustained minor injuries will receive Rs 1 lakh assistance, an official statement said.
A detailed inquiry into the incident will be conducted at the level of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) to ascertain the cause and recommend necessary corrective measures, it said.
Relief and rescue operations have been launched on a war footing by the railway administration. Senior officials have rushed to the site to monitor the situation, and the injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment, it said.
The railway authorities are providing all possible assistance and coordination to the affected passengers.
Helpline numbers have been issued for the convenience of passengers and their families, it added.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the accident and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to kin of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured.
Sai has expressed profound grief over the tragic train accident near Bilaspur, calling it an extremely painful and distressing incident, an official statement said.
The CM said that teams from the district administration and the Railways are working on the ground with full dedication in the rescue and relief efforts. All necessary medical facilities and resources are being made available for the treatment of the injured.
He said that the State Government has been keeping a close watch on the situation with full sensitivity and vigilance and is taking every necessary step to assist those affected.
Speaking to the media, an injured woman passenger said the train was running when it suddenly rammed into the goods train.
"Before I could understand what happened, people started screaming and shouting for help," she recalled.
The woman, who was travelling to Bilaspur from Akaltara town in neighbouring Janjgir-Champa district, said she was in the coach that climbed onto the goods train due to the impact.
"After the collision, my leg got trapped under the seat. I was rescued by the responders and first taken to the railway hospital before being referred to another hospital," she said.
Lying on the hospital bed, she added that her leg suffered a fracture in the accident.
According to some local residents, the loud sound of the collision propelled the nearby villagers to rush to the spot and launch an immediate rescue operation.
The accident disrupted train operations on the route. Many trains running on the Howrah-Mumbai section were rescheduled.
Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu and BJP MLA Dharamlal Kaushik visited CIMS hospital to meet the injured.
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
