Patna, Nov 29 (IANS): In a tragic incident, two labourers were mowed down by a train on the Barauni-Katihar railway line in Bihar’s Khagaria district on Friday.
Three workers were engaged in maintenance work near the Khatha railway crossing when they were hit by the Lohit Express around 10:15 am. The incident resulted in the deaths of two workers, while the third sustained critical injuries and is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Khagaria.
According to a GRP official, it was an error of the contractor that led to the mishap.
Workers were reportedly not alerted to the incoming Lohit Express, nor were there adequate safety precautions in place to safeguard their lives during on-track maintenance.
There was no flagman or warning system at the place to notify workers of an incoming train.
The injured worker was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors are attempting to stabilise his condition.
The deceased have been identified as Mukesh Kumar and Arjun Sharma, both residents of Jhanjhra village.
The critical injury of Rasho is admitted to the hospital.
Villagers gathered at the site immediately after the incident, expressing grief and anger over the avoidable tragedy.
GRP Inspector Dhananjay Singh revealed that a block order — which halts train movement on the affected track during repairs — was not issued, a mandatory protocol, that could have prevented the accident.
The contractor responsible, Janardan Chaurasia, is under scrutiny for failing to implement basic safety measures.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) have begun an investigation, and the bodies of the deceased have been sent for postmortem.
“The maintenance work was being conducted without proper safety arrangements, with no warning systems or flagmen in place to alert workers of the approaching train. The absence of a block order indicates severe negligence on the part of the contractor,” Singh said.
“The contractor, Janardan Chaurasia, will face legal consequences for negligence,” Singh said.