3 Killed, 5 Students Critical After Train Rams School Car at Bengal Level Crossing

Three people, including two schoolchildren, were killed and five others were critically injured after a passenger train rammed a school car trapped at a manned railway level crossing in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Friday morning.

The accident took place at around 7 am between Karnasubarna and Gobindopur railway stations.

School Car Trapped Between Crossing Gates

According to eyewitnesses, the level crossing gates were initially closed to allow a train to pass on the up-line.

After the train crossed, the gatekeeper reopened the barriers to clear waiting traffic. A school car carrying eight children and a cyclist entered the crossing.

However, the gates were allegedly lowered again before they could cross, trapping the vehicle and the cyclist on the tracks.

Moments later, the Nimtita–Katwa passenger train crashed into the stranded car, dragging it nearly 50 feet along the tracks.

Three Killed, Five Students Critical

The cyclist and two schoolchildren died in the collision.

Local residents rushed to the scene and rescued the surviving children before emergency teams arrived.

The injured students were first taken to Karnasubarna Block Hospital before being shifted to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, where they remain in critical condition.

Railway Launches Probe

Eastern Railway has constituted a 10-member technical team to investigate the circumstances leading to the accident.

Following a preliminary inquiry, the gatekeeper and an on-duty supervisor have been suspended over alleged negligence.

Train services on the Azimganj–Katwa route remained disrupted for several hours as officials cleared the wreckage and restored operations.

Local leaders have expressed condolences to the victims' families and called for a comprehensive review of safety measures at manned railway crossings.