A major accident was narrowly averted at the Gohaniya railway crossing in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, when the gate of a railway crossing remained open as the Tanakpur-Dourai Express passed through. The incident, which took place on Tuesday evening around 7:30 pm, was captured in a video that has since circulated on social media.
In the video, an open gate can be seen as the train approaches the crossing. Eyewitnesses at the scene reported that despite the train being very close, the railway gate remained open. Some people knocked on the gatekeeper’s cabin to call him as it was locked from inside.
How was the accident averted?
Locals and police officers at the scene acted quickly, setting up a barricade with vehicles to prevent any potential accident. The Gohaniya crossing is one of the busiest routes in the area, with hundreds of tractors and other vehicles passing through daily.
Rajendra Singh, the Public Relations Officer of the Northeast Railway's Izzatnagar division, confirmed that the video has been forwarded to railway authorities for investigation. "Preliminary findings by the station superintendent of Pilibhit, Dharmendra Kumar, indicated a technical fault with the gate. Due to the malfunction, the gatekeeper used a safety chain to allow the train to pass. The video, which was reportedly filmed from above the safety chain, clearly shows that the gate was open while the train crossed," the PRO said.
Three die after being run over by an express train
Three sisters died after being run over by an express train while crossing the tracks near Kundar halt in Lakhisarai district on Thursday, officials said. The incident took place on the Kiul-Jhajha railway section. The deceased have been identified as Sansar Devi (45), Champa Devi (42) and Radha Devi (35).
“They were crossing the tracks near Kundar halt after alighting from a local train. The women came under the wheels of Baba Baidyanath Dham Deoghar Express,” Superintendent of Railway Police (Jamalpur), Raman Chaudhary said.
(With PTI inputs)
