Four school students and a senior citizen died after a passenger train rammed a school van crossing railway tracks in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district early on Friday.
Four others, including the van’s driver, were critically injured in the incident, which took place at the Gobindapur railway gate. The Railways has ruled out any glitch in the signalling system and said the gateman on duty was at fault. The gateman, Arup Karmakar, has been arrested.
The incident took place between Karnasubarna and Gobindapur stations during the morning rush hour. According to police and eyewitnesses, around 6.20 am, the railway crossing was closed for Nabadwip-Balurghat Express. The train passed, and the crossing was opened. Three vehicles, including the school van, moved to cross the tracks.
At this point, the Nimtita-Katwa passenger train, which had received a green signal, came down the tracks at high speed. While two vehicles managed to cross in time, the school van and a cyclist were hit by the incoming train.
Among the victims identified so far are Jessica Yasmin (9), Farhana Sultana (6), and the 65-year-old cyclist, Jamshed Ali. Four others, including school children Tamanna, Ishan, and Anisha, and the van driver, Mosharraf Hossain, have suffered serious injuries and are under treatment at the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the incident was the result of a “human error”. “It is a very painful incident. West Bengal police have arrested the gateman. I have asked the police to check if he was intoxicated,” Adhikari told reporters.
A senior official described the incident not as a mechanical failure, but as a human lapse.
Earlier, an Eastern Railway spokesperson said a 10-member team of experts has been rushed to the site to investigate the incident. “We have also announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the families of each of the deceased and Rs 2.5 lakh each for those who suffered serious injuries. The Railways is ensuring the best possible medical treatment for the injured,” the spokesperson said.
The crash disrupted train movement in the Azimganj-Katwa section of Eastern Railway for some time after residents of the area blocked the tracks to protest the accident. The residents accused the gateman of negligence.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Eastern Railway Chief Public Relations Officer, Shibram Manjhi said, “Three were found dead on the spot, later another two were declared dead. Four others are admitted in hospital, two with minor injuries, and a student and the pool car driver with critical injuries… Probe is still on to find out under what circumstances the gates remained open.”
Meanwhile, the accident has triggered a political row.
Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury visited the spot and questioned the Railways authorities over the incident.
“We are hearing big talk about high-speed hydrogen trains and bullet trains running in India, yet no one seems bothered about basic infrastructure or passenger safety. If the gateman alone is at fault, does that mean he wasn’t properly trained? Was he brought in from outside or outsourced? And if he was indeed intoxicated on duty, whose responsibility is that? He was, after all, on duty. Shouldn’t safety be our absolute baseline criteria?”
Hitting out at the BJP, Trinamool Congress MLA Kunal Ghosh said, “The Railways falls under the Central government, which is run by the BJP. If a Railways employee is allegedly on duty in an intoxicated state, it highlights severe negligence by the Railways. Why is the BJP not filling these vacant, critical safety posts? It is massive negligence on their part to let someone perform their duties while drunk. Previously, they were quick to blame the TMC for every mishap. Why shouldn’t the Railways, the BJP, and the Central government be held accountable now? After all, innocent children have lost their lives here.”
Meanwhile, state BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Education, Sukanta Majumdar said, “It is deeply painful and unfortunate that such a tragic incident has occurred on what should have been a good day. However, I am certain that the Central government, alongside our state unit, will ensure a thorough investigation into this matter. No one found guilty of negligence will be spared.”