Accident

At least 10 people were killed and 19 others injured when a car carrying Maha Kumbh devotees collided with a bus on the Prayagraj-Mirzapur highway in Uttar Pradesh. The crash occurred around midnight on Friday, with the victims traveling from Chhattisgarh to the Kumbh Mela. Authorities suspect the Bolero driver fell asleep, causing the accident. In related incidents, seven pilgrims died in Madhya Pradesh after their mini-bus collided with a truck, and three others were killed in Bihar following a truck-auto collision.

A devastating mid-air collision occurred near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington D.C. on Wednesday night, involving an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. The crash, which took place around 9 p.m. EST, resulted in a massive fireball and prompted a swift emergency response. At least two bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River, and search efforts continue for survivors. The FAA confirmed the incident, which caused widespread panic, and all flights at the airport have been grounded. Authorities are investigating the cause of the collision, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the inquiry.

A boiler explosion at a tyre plant in Palghar district, Maharashtra, critically injured five people, including two children, on Wednesday. The explosion occurred when a pressure surge caused one of the boilers to rupture, sparking a fire. The victims, from Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh, were rushed to local hospitals, with four transferred to Thane for advanced care. In a separate incident, eight workers were killed, and seven others injured in a powerful blast at an ordnance factory in Bhandara district on January 24. The explosion destroyed the factory building, with residents of nearby villages feeling the tremor. Authorities are investigating both incidents.

At least 15 people are feared dead following a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Wednesday, as millions of pilgrims gathered for a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya. The stampede occurred amid heavy crowds during the ‘Amrit Snan’, one of the most sacred rituals of the event. Authorities quickly responded by sending ambulances to the scene, with injured individuals taken to nearby hospitals. Prime Minister Modi and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath are closely monitoring the situation, with additional medical teams and security measures deployed to manage the crisis. Despite the tragedy, the Mela continues

The Railway Board has raised concerns over the 485 rail accidents reported across Indian Railways in the past 11 years, attributing many to human error within the Traffic Department. In a circular dated January 24, Hitendra Malhotra, Member (Operations and Business Development), highlighted key causes such as improper setting of points, failure to observe shunting rules, and breaches of block rules. Malhotra also pointed out that shortcuts taken during shunting operations, often due to time pressures, had become a dangerous habit among railway staff. To address these issues, the Railway Board has mandated the inclusion of accident case studies in training sessions and stressed the importance of fostering a culture where employees can report mistakes without fear of retribution.