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Negligence on the part of a railway gatemen led to death of five people, including three of a family, as a super fast express train rammed into a mini- truck and a motorcycle at a level-crossing in Shahjehanpur early Thursday morning. District Magistrate Indra Vikram Singh said,
As per reports, the Lucknow - Chandigargh Express train was crossing Hulas Nagla crossing in Katra area around 5.10 am when the locomotive driver spotted several vehicles on the track and applied emergency brakes. But due to the express speed of the train, the engine rammed into a mini-truck and two motorcyles.
Three of a family identified as Sidakat (30), Gulistan (27) and Hamza (1.5 years) traveling in the mini-truck were killed on the spot. Two others identified as Prempal (55) and Satyendra (45) succumbed during treatment. The mini-truck was loaded with cold drinks and the gatemen forgot to close down the gate while the train was passing by causing the tragedy . A probe has been ordered. Due to the accident, rail services on Bareilly- Shahjahanpur section was disrupted as the train jumped off the rails after the incident. Rail traffic was normalized only after six hours of the mishap after repairing of tracks.
Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Tarun Prakash told media persons that a team of three engineers from Railway headquarters has been asked to probe the incident. "Prima facie, there was no fault in the signal system. The probe team has the chief engineers of the signaling and the loco engineering departments," he said.
Meanwhile in Lucknow, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended his sympathies to the affected families and announced financial assistance of Rs. 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased. Instructions have also been issued for relief operations and prompt treatment to the injured.