A preliminary investigation into the fatal train collision with a school van at a railway crossing in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district has found alleged negligence by the railway gateman to be the primary cause of the accident. The gateman has been suspended and arrested.
The collision occurred at a railway crossing in Karnasubarna on Friday. Four people, including three schoolchildren, were killed after a Nimtita-Katwa local train struck the school van while it was crossing the tracks.
Preliminary probe points to alleged negligence
According to sources familiar with the inquiry by the police and the Railways, the gateman was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and failed to shut the crossing gate despite being alerted about the approaching train on the down line.
With the gate left open, the school van driver reportedly attempted to cross the tracks, apparently unaware that the train was approaching at speed. The train then rammed into the vehicle.
The Railways suspended the gateman soon after the accident on charges of serious negligence. Police later arrested him.
Witnesses present at the time of the arrest alleged that the gateman appeared to be intoxicated.
Residents say concerns had been raised earlier
Local residents claimed they had repeatedly complained to railway authorities about the gateman allegedly reporting for duty in an inebriated condition.
“There had been several instances in the past where he forgot to open the rail-gate after the trains had passed, thus creating traffic congestion on both sides of the rail-gate for a prolonged period. Many of us expressed apprehension about such a mishap in case he forgot to close the rail gate. Our apprehension came true this morning, and the mishap happened,” a resident told reporters.
Four injured, probe sought into wider issues
While three children died at the scene, four others, including three students, were admitted to Baharampur Medical College and Hospital in critical condition.
Former Baharampur MP and former West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury visited the accident site after the incident.
“This mishap was due to the fault of the gateman. However, infrastructure issues have remained ignored for a long time. Whether the allegations against the gateman are true or not remains to be seen. Whether the gateman was a government employee or outsourced also remains to be seen. Whether there was proper training or not, that also should be probed,” Chowdhury said.