The death toll in Tuesday's train accident in India's central state of Chhattisgarh rose to eight while around 17 people were seriously injured, a top official told the media.

At least two people were still stuck inside the train's wreckage. The accident had occurred in the state's Bilaspur district when a passenger train rammed into a stationary goods train.

Those injured were admitted to different hospitals.

"This is a big accident. We are carrying out rescue operations," Bilaspur District Collector Sanjay Agrawal was quoted as saying.

xinhua