School van collides with train in Murshidabad, 3 students killed

A tragic railway accident occurred on Friday morning in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, leaving four people dead, including three school children. The incident took place at approximately 7:00 AM on the Azimganj-Katwa railway line, specifically between the Karnasubarna station and the Govindpur level crossing. A speeding Nimtita-Katwa down local train collided with a school van that was crossing the tracks, completely crushing the vehicle under its impact.

Eyewitnesses reported that the level crossing gate had been left wide open prior to the collision. Shortly before the incident, an up-line Nabadwip-bound express train had passed through, but the gatekeeper allegedly failed to close the barrier afterward. Seeing the open gate, the school van attempted to cross the tracks, unaware that the down local train was rapidly approaching from the opposite direction. Three children and a local resident died on the spot.

Following the collision, local residents and police officers from the Berhampore station rushed to the location to carry out emergency rescue operations. Three other severely injured schoolchildren and the driver of the van were extracted from the mangled wreckage and rushed to the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital in Berhampore. Angry residents staged a protest, accusing the gatekeeper of extreme negligence and being in an inebriated state on duty. Both the police and railway authorities have launched a formal investigation to determine the exact cause of the tragedy.