On July 17th, a serious railway crossing accident occurred in West Bengal, India. A school bus carrying students collided with a passenger train at the railway crossing, resulting in the death of 5 people, including 3 students, and injuries to 4 others. The local government initially determined that the accident was due to human error, and the railway crossing keeper involved has been arrested by the police.
According to The Indian Express report on the 17th, the accident occurred around 6:40 am that day, at a manned railway crossing in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal.
Scene of the accident diagram 《Indian Express》
The Eastern Railway Company in India reported that after a express train passed by, the trackway guard mistakenly raised the barrier, allowing road vehicles to pass. Unexpectedly, another passenger train came along and collided with a school bus that was also passing through the trackway, resulting in significant casualties.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that “this is not an accident, but a human error.” He stated that five people have been killed so far, and the police have arrested the gate keeper involved in the incident. They are also investigating whether the gate keeper was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
Adikari subsequently stated on social media platforms that any negligence will not be tolerated. Relevant departments will investigate the cause of the accident thoroughly, and the responsible parties will be dealt with according to the law using the most severe measures. He also said that local governments have been instructed to make every effort to treat the injured, and necessary assistance will be provided to the families of the victims.
The Eastern Railway Company subsequently confirmed that the road guard involved, Anup Karmakar, has been arrested by the police, and the railway inspector in charge of inspecting the railway line at that section has also been suspended. The cause of the accident is still being investigated.
Additionally, the Indian railways minister announced that a compensation of 1 million rupees (approximately 70,000 yuan) will be awarded to the families of each victim.
