Three people including two children, were killed while another five got injured after a train hit a vehicle, carrying school children, at a manned level crossing in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Friday morning.
“An accident has taken police in which a vehicle carrying school children was hit by a train at a level crossing. Our officers have rushed to the spot. There are reports that a few persons have died and some have been injured,” said a senior police officer of Murshidabad police district.
“The incident occurred at around 6:41am at Level Crossing Gate No. 24A/2 in the Katwa–Azimganj section when Train No. 53054 Nimtita–Katwa Passenger collided with a Tata Sumo school van carrying children to Royal Academy School and a bicycle.
The level crossing had been closed for the passage of trains in both directions. After Train No. 13431 passed in the up direction, the gate was opened and the school van entered the crossing, where it was struck by the approaching Nimtita–Katwa Passenger train”, a statement by the railways said.
“The gates of the level crossing were closed as a train was scheduled to pass. After the train passed, the gateman opened the door. The pool car entered the tracks. But suddenly another passenger train came and hit the pool car,” a local resident told media persons.
Senior railway officials, RPF personnel, GRP and the local civil administration reached the site to take stock of the situation. Additional RPF personnel have been rushed to assist with rescue and crowd management, while district police were also present. Efforts are underway to clear the site and restore normalcy. Railway authorities have initiated an inquiry into the incident.
