/A frightening explosion in a general coach of the Howrah Mail near Sirhind railway station in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib district left four passengers injured on late Saturday night, according to the Government Railway Police (GRP) officials. The incident occurred around 10:30 pm as the train was en route from Amritsar to Howrah, sending shockwaves through the packed coach.

Witnesses described a scene of chaos as the explosion, caused by a plastic bucket containing firecrackers, erupted in the train’s rear compartment. The explosion filled the coach with smoke, prompting panic among the passengers. Many attempted to escape the unfolding chaos, with some leaping from emergency windows in a desperate bid for safety.

The injured included a woman and three men, all of whom were promptly transported to Fatehgarh Sahib Civil Hospital for treatment. GRP Deputy Superintendent of Police Jagmohan Singh confirmed the identities of the victims, which include Ashutosh Pal from Uttar Pradesh, Sonu Kumar from Nawada Bazaar in Bihar, and a couple, Ajay Kumar and Sangeeta Kumari from Bhojpur, Bihar. Fortunately, officials reported that their injuries were not life-threatening.

Preliminary investigations indicated that a short circuit in the electrical wiring might have ignited the firecrackers in the bucket. “A passenger was reportedly carrying the firecrackers back to his village when they caught fire, leading to the explosion,” Singh explained. The GRP is set to send samples to the Forensic Science Laboratory as part of the ongoing investigation.

The Howrah Mail, designated as train number 13006, had its journey halted for approximately half an hour following the incident while railway officials and police arrived at the scene to assess the situation. Eyewitness accounts from travelers, including Rakesh Pal, reported that sparks were seen flying from the overhead electric wires just before the explosion occurred. “The train had just left Sirhind when the chaos erupted. It was a frightening experience,” Pal recounted.

Railway authorities have assured that they are taking the incident seriously and are looking into the safety protocols regarding the transportation of hazardous materials on trains. As the investigation continues, there is a renewed emphasis on passenger safety to prevent such occurrences in the future.