Four killed as train hits van in Feni

Six people were killed in two accidents involving as many trains in Feni and Rajshahi yesterday.

In Feni, four people were killed and two others injured when the Chittagong-bound Turna Nishita Express from Dhaka hit a covered van on Barahipur rail crossing around 4:30am.

The impact of the collision threw the vehicle off the railway track, killing three people, including the driver and his helper, dead on the spot, railway police and witnesses said.

Among the dead are driver Sumon Khan, 26, his nephew Md Sazib, 14, and Mohammad Hanif, 28, labour of the van.

The identity of the other victim, who died at Feni Sadar Hospital, could not be confirmed till last night, reports a correspondent from Feni.

The two injured were receiving treatment at Chittagong Medical College Hospital and Feni Sadar Hospital.

Talking to reporters at the Feni hospital, injured Anisur Rahman said the vehicle was carrying goods from the hospital from Dhaka.

Kazi Mostafizur Rahman, assistant executive engineer of Bangladesh Railway in Feni, said the accident occurred as gatekeeper Mohammad Rafique did not lower the barrier at the level crossing after the alarm rang.

Footage from a CCTV camera in the area showed that Rafique came out of his room after the accident had taken place.

The gatekeeper has been on the run since then.

TWO KILLED IN RAJSHAHI

A man, aged about 40, was run over by a train at Belpukur level crossing on the outskirts of Rajshahi city yesterday afternoon when he tried to save an elderly man from being killed under the train, but in vain.

The elderly man is Korban Ali Mondol, 75. The identity of the other victim could not be confirmed, said Rakibul Islam, officer-in-charge of Belpukur Police Station.

The accident occurred around 3:30pm when the Parbatipur-bound Barendra Express from Rajshahi was crossing the area.

While waiting at a roadside restaurant, the unidentified man noticed that Korban was walking towards the railway track, said Sohel Rana, a local fruit trader.

Korban probably could not hear the sound of the approaching train as he was partially deaf, Sohel added.

“All of a sudden, the unidentified man ran there to save Korban. But he could not control his speed. The two tripped, fell on the railway track and were run over by the train,” said the trader.