Five killed in train-truck collision in Shahjahanpur

Five people, including three of a family, were killed and two injured when a Lucknow bound train collided with a truck and a motorcycle near a manned railway crossing whose gates were allegedly not closed when the train arrived in Katra area of Shahjahanpur on Thursday morning.

Four people were killed on the spot while another person succumbed at the hospital. Two others, who are severely injured, have been admitted in hospital for medical care, said superintendent of police, Shahjahanpur S Anand.

A probe team comprising three engineers from the railway headquarters has been set up.

According to PTI additional superintendent of police (rural) Sanjeev Bajpai said the locomotive of Lucknow-Chandigarh superfast (5012 down) rammed into the vehicles moments after the train had crossed the Meeranpur Katra railway station.

Bajpai said it was being investigated as to how the gates of the railway crossing had remained open when the train arrived.

The SP and officials of district administration reached the accident site to initiate relief measures. CM Yogi Adityanath has announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased. Some police officials said the accident occurred around 5 am when the train hit the truck and a motorcycle at a manned railway crossing in Hulas Nagara area in Katra, Shahjahanpur. Those killed include three of a family, Sidakat Alam (30), Gulistan (27) and Hamza (1.5 years) -- who were in the truck. Two other deceased have been identified as Prempal Verma (55), who died on the spot, and Satyendra Singh (45), who succumbed during treatment. Traffic on Bareilly-Lucknow route remained affected for over six hours. The tracks were cleared only after passengers were shifted to another train.