A TRAIN rammed a pool car on an open level crossing in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Friday, killing five people, including two school students, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said. The gateman was arrested, and a permanent way inspector of the railways was suspended for alleged dereliction of duty, while angry villagers held a protest at the accident site in Gobindapur, officials said. “A total of five people died in the accident. It’s unfortunate and heart-wrenching. The gateman has been arrested. Investigation is underway,” Adhikari told reporters.

 

The accident occurred around 7 am near Karna Subarna Railway Station in the Azimganj-Katwa section of the Eastern Railway’s Howrah division when the pool car carrying students to school attempted to cross the tracks and was hit by the Nimtita-Katwa Passenger train, the officials said. A bicycle rider crossing the tracks was also struck by the train, they said. Those injured in the accident were first taken to a local hospital before being shifted to the Baharampur Medical College and Hospital for treatment, the officials said. Eastern Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Shibram Majhi said a 10-member team of railway officials had visited the site to investigate the cause of the accident. He said the railways announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 2.5 lakh for each injured person. Train services in the Azimganj-Katwa section were disrupted briefly after the accident but resumed after the mangled vehicle was removed from the tracks.