13 schoolkids killed in UP as train rams school van

Lucknow: In a tragic incident, 13 schoolchildren were killed and eight others, including the van driver, were critically injured when a school van was hit by a train at an unmanned railway crossing in Kushinagar district on Thursday morning.

The injured students have been admitted to the district hospital. The van driver’s condition is also said to be critical.

The children, all students of Divine Public School, were killed on the spot when the Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train (55075) crashed into the van at the unmanned crossing gate at Behpurva at 6.50 am. The train was on its way to Gorakhpur from Siwan. The deceased children were identified as Hariom, Santosh, Ravi, Ragini, Ataullah, Arshad, Anras, Golu, Kamrul, Sajida, Tamanna, Miraj and Muskan. All of them are less than 10 years old.

An eyewitness said the train’s horn was audible as it was approaching the unmanned crossing but the van driver, apparently getting late for school, took a chance which led to the accident.

The police has booked the principal and manager of Divine Public School for running the school without proper registration and recognition. Also, the basic education officer of Kushinagar and block education officer have been suspended along with the area regional transport officer.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath rushed to Kushinagar and visited the site of the accident. He met the injured children admitted to BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur and ordered the best possible treatment for the injured.

Talking to reporters, the chief minister said: “I am told that the school van driver was wearing earphones while driving and did not hear the train approaching. This is a case of pure negligence.”

He said an inquiry has been ordered and based on the investigation; and the guilty would face the most severe punishment. The chief minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakhs each to the family of each of the deceased and ordered an inquiry by the Gorakhpur commissioner.

The Railways has also announced compensation of '2 lakhs each to the kin of the deceased. This will be in addition to the similar amount announced by the state government.

Speaking to reporters, Gorakhpur-based North Eastern Division CPRO Sanjay Yadav, while describing the accident as unfortunate, said that at unmanned crossings, the onus was on the road user.

He said preliminary reports suggested that the “gate mitra” on duty at the crossing had alerted the school van driver of the approaching train, but the latter ignored the warning. Railway spokesman Ved Prakash said there were about 25 people, including children, in the van.