Two children were runoverby a speeding train while crossing the tracks at Gulabganjrailway station near here today, triggering violent protestsand arson in which a railway employee was burnt alive andanother was battling for life with serious injuries.
Siblings Mohammad Ali (5) and his eight-year-oldsister Icra were crushed to death by a speeding Sampark KrantiExpress at Gulabganj station, about 20 km from here, when theywere crossing the tracks in the absence of a foot overbridgefrom under a stationary goods train, railway sources said.
The tragic incident came on a day when RailwayMinister Pawan Kumar Bansal presented his maiden budget in theLok Sabha that included a slew of safety measures.
Sources said the incident apparently occurred as noannouncement was made about the fast approaching SamparkKranti Express, which does not halt at Gulabganj.
Earlier reports attributed to police had said that thechildren got crushed by a goods train which moved suddenlywhen they were crossing from under it.
As the news about the tragedy spread, angry villagersdisrupted rail traffic by blocking both up and down tracks andthen set on fire the station building, trapping AssistantStation Master Sanket Bansal and Point Supervisor Bhagwan Dasinside.
A team from the nearby police station reached the spotto control the situation but by then both had received seriousburn injuries.
While Das succumbed before he could receive medicalhelp, Bansal was shifted to Bhopal in a critical condition.
Several trains were halted at Bina, Bhopal and Vidishastations due to the protest which paralysed train services onthe busy Delhi-Chennai route for nearly four-and-a-half-hours.
Vidisha Collector Anand Sharma and Superintendent ofPolice B P Chandrawanshi intervened and persuaded thevillagers to call off the protest.
A demonstration was also staged at the Bhopal railwaystation with protesters demanding registration of a murdercase against those responsible for the Gulabganj tragedy.