Daijiworld Media Network - Patna

Patna, Jan 23: A tragic accident claimed the lives of two teenage boys in Bihar’s West Champaran district after they were struck by the Amrit Bharat Express while filming a social media reel near a railway track, officials said on Friday.

The incident took place on the Bettiah–Narkatiaganj railway section, between Gulab Nagar crossing and Sathi railway station, close to railway pillar number 234/31.

According to Sathi railway station superintendent Santosh Kumar, the Amrit Bharat Express was travelling from Muzaffarpur towards Narkatiaganj at the time, while a military train was moving in the opposite direction on a parallel track.

“The boys were standing dangerously close to the tracks and recording a video on their mobile phones. When trains approached simultaneously from both sides, they appeared to panic and failed to move away in time. Both were hit by the Amrit Bharat Express,” Kumar said.

The teenagers died instantly at the spot, officials confirmed.

The victims were identified as Salman Alam (16) from Dharmpur Sathi village and Alamgir Alam (16) from Bhedihari village under the Purushottampur police station limits.

The incident triggered shock and grief in the area, with a large number of locals gathering at the site soon after the accident.

Railway authorities informed the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Bettiah, who have initiated an investigation into the incident. The bodies were later handed over to the families after completing preliminary formalities.

Railway officials once again appealed to the public to stay away from railway tracks, especially during winter mornings and evenings when fog reduces visibility and increases the risk of accidents.