Two run over by train at Ludhiana level crossing
SHOCKING Were passing through the closed Giaspura intersection on two-wheelers when they were crushed under the Delhi-amritsar Shatabdi Express; 2 others injured
LUDHIANA: Two persons, including a woman, were run over by the Delhi-amritsar Shatabdi Express on Saturday evening when they were trying to cross a closed railway crossing on twowheelers in Ludhiana.
The incident, which took place at the Giaspura railway crossing around 8.30pm, also left two others injured. The Amritsar-chandigarh Intercity Express had zipped past from the spot a couple of minutes before the incident.
The deceased were identified as Ratanjit Singh, 64, Gurpreet Kaur, 26. While Ratanjit was riding a motorcycle, Gurpreet was on Activa.
Government Railway Police (GRP) deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Pardeep Sandhu said the injured have been identified as Sunny and Arjun, both in their 20s. “We have recovered five vehicles from the spot which were badly damaged. These include two scooters (Activa), two motorcycles and a cycle,” he said, adding that the victims were rushed to the civil hospital.
A video of the incident shows cyclists and two-wheeler riders passing through the closed level crossing. Two railways employees deployed on the spot are also seen making futile efforts to stop.
Railways chief area manager, Ludhiana, Parminder Singh said after Amritsar-chandigarh Intercity Express passed, commuters started crossing the track even as the barrier was in place. “Within a few seconds, the New Delhi Shatabdi Express approached and victims were crushed under it,” he said.
Due to the industrial area, Giaspura railway crossing is one of the busiest in the city and people, especially migrant labourers, are seen passing under the barricades, thus putting their lives at risk, said the chief area manager. “Therefore, two railway protection force personnel are deployed at the spot during peak hours to stop people from crossing the tracks,” he said.
The Giaspura level crossing has three tracks — one for the Delhi, Chandigarh-bound trains, a common track on which trains run on both direction and the third for the Ludhiana-bound trains. “The incident took place on track no. 2,” he said.
GRP station house officer Balvir Singh said on an average, five people die every month at the crossing while trespassing.