Four persons, including three school students, were killed and several others injured after a passenger train rammed into a school car at an allegedly open level crossing in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Friday morning.
The accident took place around 7 am when the vehicle was crossing the railway tracks at the level-crossing gate, and was struck by a local train.
The five injured persons, four students and the driver of the vehicle, were rushed to Bardhaman Medical College and Hospital in critical condition.
The gateman at the level crossing was arrested for alleged dereliction of duty. Angry locals allegedly locked him inside the railway cabin after accusing him of being in an inebriated state while on duty.
The crossing gate was reportedly open when the train was approaching, prompting an investigation into the circumstances that led to the accident.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the families of each of the deceased, the official said.
Senior police and railway officials reached the accident site soon after the mishap. A 10-member railway team has been constituted to investigate the cause of the accident.
Train services on the Azimganj-Katwa section of the Eastern Railway’s Howrah division were disrupted following the accident.
The incident triggered outrage among local residents, who demanded strict action against those responsible for the alleged safety lapse at the level crossing.
Former Congress MP from Behrampore, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury who visited the spot, blamed the railway authorities for the accident.
“Why did the gateman open the gate when he knew that a train was approaching? It is a case of sheer negligence on the part of the gateman as well as the railway authorities,” he said.