Amritsar Train Tragedy: Worst mishap caused by trespassing in history of Indian Railways

The Amritsar train tragedy on Friday night that left 59 people dead and several others critically injured during the Dussehra celebrations was the worst in the history of Indian Railways accidents where lives were lost owing to trespassing on the train tracks, according to reports. Previous to this, a horrifying accident took place at UP's Kushinagar railway crossing. And, history is replete with such accidents across the world.

Also Read | Amritsar train tragedy toll rises to 59; Railways says ‘clear case of trespassing’ 

Here is a list of train accidents in India caused by trespassing, recorded since the year 2002:

1. June 4, 2002: The Kasganj level crossing disaster occurred when a Kanpur-Kasganj Express collided with a passenger bus in Uttar Pradesh, killing 30 and injuring 29.
2. June 4, 2010: The Coimbatore-Mettupalayam special train collided with a mini-bus at an unmanned level-crossing at Idigarai near Coimbatore, killing 5.
3. July 7, 2011: A Mathura-Chhapra Express hit a bus at an unmanned level crossing in Thanagaon of Uttar Pradesh's Kanshiram Nagar district, killing 38 and injuring 30.
4. February 26, 2012: The Trivandrum-Kozhikode Jan Shatabdi Express struck people who were standing on the track to watch fireworks, killing 3 and injuring 1.
5. March 20, 2012: A train collided with an overloaded taxi minivan at an unmanned railroad crossing in northern Uttar Pradesh, 296 km from Lucknow, killing 15.
6. March 26, 2012: A MEMU commuter train collided with a boulder-carrying truck at the Kannamangala gate on the outskirts of Bangalore, killing the pilot and driver.
7. July 23, 2014: A Nanded passenger train collided with a school bus at an unmanned level-crossing in Masaipet village of Medak district, killing 18.
8. January 17, 2017: Two 15-year-old boys wanting to take selfies in front of an approaching train were killed when they were hit by another train running on an adjacent track. This happened near Akshardham station in Delhi.
9. April 25, 2018: Thirteen children were killed after train rammed into school van at railway crossing in UP's Kushinagar.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Saturday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the Amritsar train accident and said his government will extend all possible help to the accident victims and their families.

“We are ordering a magisterial inquiry into the incident under the police commissioner who will submit a report in four weeks,” Singh said while speaking to reporters after meeting the injured at a hospital in Amritsar.

(With PTI inputs)