Kolkata: Two youths were killed after being run over by a speeding train. The incident took place near Piali Station in the Sealdah South section on Sunday evening.
According to the railway police, Down Majherhat-Ghutiari Sharif Local was passing through a stretch near the station, where the victims were reportedly sitting on the tracks. Local people told the police that there was another youth sitting on the tracks who jumped out of harm's way after he saw the approaching train.
The deceased have been identified as Pratik Mondal (18) and Prakash Mondal (17). Pratik died at the spot while his friend Prakash was declared brought dead after being taken to a hospital. Both the victims were residents of Piali area in South 24-Parganas. Pratik was a 1st year student of Champahati Sushil Kar College.
As per the local sources, the third youth suffered injuries on his head and has been admitted to a local hospital. How the accident took place is yet to be ascertained by the police. Opinion was divided over the death of the duo as some people claimed that they were performing stunts when they saw the approaching train.
Police said that the victims could have saved their lives by jumping onto the vacant area on both sides of the tracks, had they seen the approaching train a few moments ago.
Local residents alleged that the motorman does not blow horn before the train enters the area, as a result of which accidents often take place there. They also said that there is a sharp bend in the tracks before it passes through the area, as a result of which people are unable to see the approaching trains.
One Minati Sarkar, an eyewitness, said that three youths were running along the tracks when the two were run over, while one managed to save his life by jumping out of harm's way. A question, however, has been raised on why the victims were running along the track after seeing the speeding train, when there were empty places on both sides of the tracks.
According to the preliminary investigation, police suspect that the deceased might have been using earphones, as a result of which they could not hear the horn. Railway police have started a detailed probe into the incident.