CUDDALORE: The Chidambaram Additional District Sessions Court on Friday ordered a voice analysis test for gatekeeper Pankaj Sharma in connection with the Cuddalore train accident case in which a train collided with a school van at Semmanguppam as the railway gate had not been closed, claiming three lives.
The incident occurred on July 8, 2025, when the private school van was carrying four students from Thondamanatham. “The van attempted to cross the railway gate at Semmanguppam when the Villupuram–Mayiladuthurai passenger train collided with it,” sources said.
Three children, V Nimilesh (12) of Thondamanatham, D Charumathi (16) of Chinna Kattusagai, and D Chezhiyan (15), were killed. Subsequently, the Chidambaram RPF registered a case and arrested gatekeeper Pankaj Sharma. The case has been under trial at the Chidambaram Court.
On Friday, Sharma was produced before the court, and during the hearing, an audio recording of a conversation between him and the station master was submitted as evidence. In the recording, Sharma is heard stating that he forgot to close the railway gate. While Sharma’s counsel objected to the collection of his voice sample, Judge S Uthamaraj ordered that a voice analysis test be conducted on March 27. The court dismissed a plea filed by Sharma seeking translation of the chargesheet into Hindi on the ground that he does not know Tamil or English.