At least 37 people have died after being hit by an express train while crossing the tracks at a remote train station in the Indian state of Bihar, local officials say.
The passengers, mostly Hindu pilgrims, had just alighted from a local train at Dhamara Ghat station and were on their way to Katyayani temple in Saharsa district to bid prayers on the last Monday (Somwari) of the divine month of Shravan.
An angry crowd is said to have beaten the driver and set two coaches on fire.
Rescue operations are under way and police reinforcements have been sent.
The incident took place at 08:40 India time. The pilgrims were hit by the Rajya Rani Express travelling on the opposite track.
Railway officials said the express train was travelling at high speed as it was not expected to stop at Dhamara Ghat station.
But after the accident, it stopped a few hundred metres away. An angry mob then pulled out the driver and severely assaulted him.
More police have been sent to the area but the region is extremely remote and inaccessible by road.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has expressed grief over the incident and ordered district officials to the scene.
People who are the eye-witnesses of this deadly incident were seen extremely scared and haunted by this incident. People said that blood of their relatives and neighbours splurged on to their faces. Many women even collapsed from terror witnessing the sight.
A government-appointed safety panel in its report last year said about 15,000 people were killed each year crossing train tracks in what officials describe as "unlawful trespassing".
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