Panic gripped the passengers travelling in Secunderabad-Agartala Express after they detected smoke in one of the coaches at Brahmapur railway station.
As per initial reports, some passengers first noticed smoke in the B-5 coach and raised an alarm. Several passengers reportedly deboarded the train and were not willing to travel on the train. The passengers also demanded to change the coach.
Railway sources said that the smoke was reported due to some short-circuit in the air-condition coach. "I had noticed smoke and informed TTE about it. We are not at all feeling safe to travel in the coach due to safety issues," said a passenger travelling in the B-5 coach."
“I am travelling in B-4 coach and I am in a state of fear as already there has been a major train tragedy in Odisha. Who will take responsibility if something major happens during the journey,” said a passenger.
Another passenger said, “There is absolutely no facility. How can public rely on the Indian Railways as already the Coromandel Express met with a disaster here.”
One of the staff in the coach said, “ There was some smoke due to short circuit and there is no problem as the electric staff have resolved the issue. We have already brought the demand of passengers to the notice of senior officials for appropriate action.”
Meanwhile, the train departed the station after the authorities pacified the passengers and deployed ecort personnel in the train as a precautionary measure.