Murshidabad, July 17: A collision between a passenger train and a school vehicle left three students and a cyclist dead at a level crossing between Karnasubarna and Gobindapur stations on Friday morning. The Nimtita–Katwa Passenger train struck the van as it attempted to cross the tracks, leaving at least six other children critically injured. The victims are currently undergoing emergency treatment at a nearby facility.
Local residents expressed immense outrage following the incident, focusing heavily on the actions of the railway staff stationed at the intersection.
Eastern Railway authorities responded immediately to the incident by suspending the gateman and the supervisor responsible for the level crossing before the official inquiry began. A 10-member high-level investigation team, led by the Additional Divisional Railway Manager, has been sent to the site alongside a special medical team to assist the victims.
Investigators stated that initial assessments showed the mechanical components of the route were fully functional. They affirmed that there was no fault in the signaling system and that the train was operating exactly as per the prescribed signals, meaning the inquiry will look primarily into the manual operations.
Eyewitness accounts from the scene indicated that the barrier had been raised shortly after an initial train passed, which allowed traffic to flow across the tracks. Moments later, the passenger train approached the crossing unexpectedly. Onlookers declared that the gateman was completely missing from his post during those critical moments. Although the barrier was lowered at the last second, the school vehicle and the cyclist were already trapped within the danger zone.
Law enforcement personnel subsequently detained the gateman after he was surrounded by angry locals. Witnesses maintained that the employee appeared semi-conscious and was completely unable to answer questions coherently when confronted.
Railway authorities declared that because the crossing uses a manually operated interlocking system, human oversight remains the primary factor in ensuring safety. Senior officials asserted a zero-tolerance stance regarding protocol lapses and stated that strict accountability will be established once the high-level team completes its comprehensive report.
The incident has drawn swift condemnation from regional political figures. BJP MLA Subrata Maitra termed the accident deeply tragic and called for a thorough investigation, while senior Congress leader Adhir Chowdhury raised sharp concerns over railway safety and demanded stricter oversight.
