The Pushpak Express train had stopped after some passengers pulled an emergency chain following panic over sparks inside one of the coaches.

A rumor of a fire on a train in India led to a panic, causing several passengers to jump from the coaches and into the path of another train on Wednesday afternoon, officials said. Twelve people died in the incident.

At least 12 train passengers were killed in western India Wednesday after being struck by another train on an adjacent track after they jumped from their coaches in panic to escape a rumored fire incident,