A tragic accident took place in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, on Tuesday morning when a school van was hit by a train while crossing a railway gate. The accident took place in the Sembankuppam area at around 7:45 am. In this accident, two students died on the spot while six others were seriously injured.
The school van was hit by a train
At the time of the incident, there were several students in the van who were going to school. According to Southern Railway, the accident took place at railway level crossing gate number 170, which is located between Cuddalore and Alappakkam. This gate comes under the non-interlocked category, that is, there was no automatic system here.
The van was hit by a passenger train (56813) going from Villupuram to Mayiladuthurai. Due to the high speed of the train, the van was badly damaged, and the children riding in it were injured.
Treatment of the six injured students continues
The six students injured in the accident were immediately admitted to the government hospital in Cuddalore. The railway immediately sent a relief team and a medical relief van to the spot. Senior railway officials, including the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), have also reached the spot.
On receiving information about the incident, local people also gathered at the spot and demanded that the administration increase security. The family members are inconsolable.
Negligence of the gateman and driver?
Initial investigation has revealed that the gateman was in the process of closing the gate, but the driver of the school van was insisting on crossing the gate. This was completely against the rules, and this one decision took the lives of innocent children.
According to the Railways, a committee of officials from the Safety, Operations, and Engineering Department has been formed to investigate the incident, which will prepare a detailed report.
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Assurance of investigation and assistance from the administration
The local administration has assured all possible help to the victim’s families. The Tamil Nadu government has also expressed grief over the incident, and compensation for the victims is likely to be announced soon.
This accident has once again raised questions about the security system of school vehicles and the monitoring of railway crossings. People say that non-interlocked gates should be made automatic as soon as possible.
Conclusion:
This incident in Cuddalore is not just an accident but the result of negligence and ignorance of the rules. To prevent such accidents in the future, the administration will have to take strict measures and provide special training to school drivers.
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