In a tragic mishap, thirteen school children were killed while five others suffered critical injuries when a Tata magic vehicle on which they were heading to school was hit by a train at an unmanned railway crossing near Duddhi railway station in Kushinagar on Thursday morning. The vehicle driver also suffered injuries in the mishap.
Senior police and district administration officials rushed to the spot to ensure rescue and treatment of the survivors. The victims were later rushed to different hospitals where 11 children were declared dead upon arrival. Two children died at a hospital during treatment later. Doctors referred five injured children and the van driver to BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur.
The deceased were identified as Kamran (10), Kardhan (9), Atiullah (10), Anas (10), Meraj (9), Hariom (8), Muskan (9), Sajida (10), Tamanna (8), Ravi (10), Tunnu (9), Ragini (8), Arshad (10) of neighbouring villages.
On being informed about the tragedy, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flew off to Kushinagar and visited the site. After being briefed by officials, Yogi conveyed his condolences to the victims’ families and announced ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the families. A similar amount was announced as compensation to the deceased’ families by the Indian Railways.
As per reports, 21 children from different villages left in a school van to reach Divine Mission School to attend classes on Thursday moirning around 630 am.
Around 6.45 am, as the vehicle was crossing an unmanned railway crossing, the Siwan-Gorakhpur passenger train (number 55075) ploughed into the van and flung it several hundred feet away. The mishap occurred as the van driver had put on earplugs and was listening to music unmindful of the approachuing train.
The loco driver later stopped the train at Duddhi railway station and gave a memo to the station master after which Railway officials were informed. They in turn informed the police.
Railway officials claimed that Gate Mitra, Arvind Bharti was deputed at the unmanned crossing to alert vehicles while crossing tracks if a train was passing through.
However, local villagers blamed the Railways for the tragedy claiming that the train was delayed and the Gate Mitra was not present at the duty point.
Squarely blaming the driver for the tragedy, Bharti told the police officials, “As the van driver approached t he crossing, I alarmed him but he chose to ignore. As the train was closing in, I rushed towards the van, frantically gesturing with hands asking the driver to look to his right as the train approached. With the earplugs on, he could not even hear the train’s whistle. I could only watch in shock as the engine rammed into the van, flung it away several hundred feet and children shrieking in fear and pain.”
PRO, Varanasi Division of NE Railway said that the track was later cleared for train movement and a team of senior Railway officials visited the site to investigate the case.