Beggar’s Bidi Ignites Panic: Fire Halts Daund–Pune Train

June 17, 2025: A minor fire broke out in a coach of the Daund–Pune DEMU train on Monday morning at Yevat railway station, causing panic among passengers but no injuries.

According to officials from the Pune railway division, the incident occurred around 7:52 am when an elderly man, reportedly a beggar, boarded the stationary train and lit a bidi (local cigarette). He discarded it into a garbage bin near the toilet, causing the bin to catch fire. Smoke quickly spread inside the coach.

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Luckily, the train was stationed at the platform when the incident occurred. Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and station staff promptly responded and used onboard fire extinguishers to douse the flames. The coach had only a few passengers at the time.

“The fire was under control within minutes, and the train resumed its journey by 8:14 am, after a 20-minute delay,” said Hemantkumar Behera, spokesperson of Pune railway division.

The 55-year-old man, identified as a beggar from Madhya Pradesh, was taken into custody by RPF officials and later handed over to the Government Railway Police (GRP). “He has also been sent for medical examination,” confirmed Priyanka Sharma, RPF Commissioner, Pune.