Tragedy Strikes in Murshidabad: Train Collides with School Van, Claiming Three Lives

In a heartbreaking incident on Friday morning, a train collided with a school van at a railway level crossing in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, resulting in the deaths of two children and an adult. The tragic event unfolded around 7 AM near the Karna Subarna railway station, as reported by a railway official.

The crossing had been closed to allow an express train to pass through, but was reopened too soon, even though another local train was scheduled to follow shortly. Witnesses indicated that the van driver, along with a cyclist, attempted to cross the tracks before the impending local train could arrive, leading to the devastating collision.

The impact was catastrophic; the school van was crushed upon contact and was propelled off the tracks. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the van mangled and debris scattered across the area. Tragically, the children, who were residents of Gobindpur village, and the cyclist, identified as 50-year-old Jamshed Sheikh, died at the scene. Several others sustained injuries and were promptly attended to by local residents who rushed to the site to assist.

In the aftermath of this devastating accident, the gateman responsible for monitoring the level crossing has been taken into custody, as authorities seek to understand the circumstances that led to this tragedy. Shibram Manjhi, the Chief Public Relations Officer of Eastern Railway, confirmed that a specialized team of ten railway officials has been dispatched to the location to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.

In a bid to support the bereaved families, the railway department has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of those who lost their lives in the accident. The incident has sparked outrage among local residents, many of whom gathered at the scene, expressing their grief and anger over the negligence that led to such a tragic outcome. As the investigation unfolds, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for stricter safety measures at railway crossings to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Source: scroll.in