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Fifteen persons, including three women and three children were killed, and two others injured in a freak mishap on Thursday, when they were run over by a train in Jalgaon district, 300 km from Bombay.
Police fear that the casualties could be higher. It is not yet clear how many people were injured in the mishap.
Officials at the state police control room said the mishap occurred when the victims, who were apparently travelling by the Bhusaval-Wardha passenger train, brought it to a halt by pulling the alarm chain and alighted between Achegaon and Bodwad stations.
The officials said that they were run over by the Bombay-Howrah Gitanjali express coming from the opposite direction.
But, chief railway public relations officer, Mukul Marwah, said the victims were local villagers, who were trying to cross the tracks, but had not spotted the Gitanjali Express due to the stationary Bhusaval-Wardha passenger train, which had halted at the spot.
Meanwhile a central railway statement said 13 bodies were taken to Bhusaval.
The body of one child had also been claimed by relatives, it said.
A round-the-clock emergency cell has been opened at Bhusaval to help identify the victims.
Among the dead are Ansar Abdul Karim (20), Akal Khan Latif Khan (20), Tabassum Arifkhan (25), Nikhal Pravin Arif Khan (18), Wasim Khan Asif Khan (6), Abdul Ansar Abdul Karim (12), Tasum Asif Khan (3 months), Sayrabai Babubhai (48), Parvatabai Subhash Bode (50), Danik Khan Asif Khan (3), Yasmin Parvin Masjid Khan (15) and Abdul Najir (4).
Meanwhile, an agency report said the victims were Muslims from Akola district, who were returning home after offering prayers at Ujani dargah in Bodvad taluka in Jalgaon district of Maharashtra.
"These people, mostly of a family, who were in a hurry to catch a train to go back to their destination, could not spot the fast approaching Geetanjali express due to rains and were run over," Akola deputy resident collector Rajesh Kulkarni was quoted as saying.
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