3 killed as Vande Bharat Express hits them while crossing railway tracks in Patna

Patna, Sept 19 (IANS) A tragic incident occurred near Pandarak railway station in Patna district’s Barh subdivision on Friday, when the Vande Bharat Express train struck four members of a family.

According to sources, the accident took place around 5 p.m. in Mekra Mamrakha village.

The victims, residents of Tadapar village under Harnaut police station in Nalanda district, were on their way to attend a Tilak ceremony.

The deceased have been identified as Jitu Manjhi (24), son of Ravindra Manjhi, Nago Manjhi (25), son of Jawahar Manjhi and Reetlal Manjhi (60), son of late Saudagar Manjhi.

All three died on the spot after being hit while crossing the tracks. They probably failed to anticipate the speed of the train and came under its impact.

A fourth victim, Jaglal Manjhi (50), also the son of late Saudagar Manjhi, suffered grievous injuries, with his limbs severed in the impact.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital and later referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), where his condition is reported to be critical.

The accident scene was described as horrific, with difficulty in identifying the deceased due to the severity of the injuries.

The railway and local police have reached the spot, and further investigations are underway.

As news of the accident spread, a large crowd of locals gathered at the site and immediately informed the railway police. Police officials soon arrived, took possession of the bodies, and sent them to the Barh Sub-divisional Hospital for postmortem examination.

Speaking on the incident, Navneet Rai, Pandarak Police Station Chief, said: “We arrived at the scene as soon as we received information about the incident. The bodies have been taken into custody and sent for postmortem. The matter is being investigated. The family members of the deceased have been informed.”

The horrific incident has left the local community in shock, highlighting once again the dangers of crossing tracks in high-speed train zones.

--IANS

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