Police at the accident site in Ludhiana on Saturday.
Two persons were killed and and two critically injured Saturday late when they came under the New Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi Express, while allegedly trying to cross the tracks at a railway level crossing in Ludhiana’s Gyaspura.
While railway officials claimed that both sides of the level crossing were closed, one of the injured claimed one side was opened after a train passed and seconds later the Shatabdi approached. Ludhiana Sub-divisional magistrate (East) Amarjit Singh Bains said that two persons – Ratanjit Singh, in his sixties and Gurpreet Kaur, in her twenties – died at the spot.
“Two others, identified as Arjun and Sunny, were admitted to hospital with grievous injuries. Arjun, admitted at SPS Hospital, is in critical condition,” said Bains.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Rajesh Aggarwal, Divisional Railway manager (DRM), Ferozepur division, said that it was a case of trespass. “There are three tracks on this crossing and one Chandigarh to Amritsar train had just passed on the first track. But the crossing was still closed from both ends as the Shatabdi was awaited. However, the commuters, along with their two-wheelers, started to cross over when Shatabdi came on the middle track,” said Aggarwal.
A video, purportedly of the incident, recorded by a commuter showed multiple two-wheelers on the tracks. In the video, two railway protection force personnel could be seen trying to get the tracks cleared but commuters continued to move even as an approaching train, probably the Shatabdi, could be heard blowing horn from a distance.
In the video, one side of the crossing is seen closed, but it isn’t clear if the other side was closed or not. Aggarwal, however, reiterated that both sides of the crossing were closed. “There is an interlocking gating system installed at this crossing. It isn’t possible to receive train signals even if one side remains open,” he added.
Meanwhile, DSP Pardeep Sandhu, Government Railway Police (GRP), said that a search was on to find if any other person was injured. “We have removed five damaged vehicles including two motorcycles, two scooters and a cycle from the tracks,” he said.
One of the injured persons Sunny has alleged that the crossing was opened briefly after one train passed and then commuters started crossing over. SDM Bains and DRM Aggarwal said that it was a part of investigation and inquiry will bring out if there is any truth in allegations.
“It is one of the busiest railway crossings of Ludhiana and people tend to cross it even when it is closed,” said Parminder Singh, chief area manager, railways.