Bengal: 3, including 2 students, killed in train-van accident at open level-crossing

Three people, including two children, were killed after a school van was hit by a train at an open level crossing near Karna Subarna station in West Bengal's Murshidabad district. Railway authorities have launched an investigation, while train services on the affected section were disrupted.Videos from the accident site showed a trail of destruction, with the school van's windows shattered, its body crushed like a can, the windshield smashed, and the roof almost ripped off. (Photo: ITGD)With the level-crossing gate left open, a school van carrying 10 children crossed the railway tracks in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, only to be struck by a local train moments later on Friday morning. The collision killed three people, including two schoolchildren, according to PTI and local media.The accident occurred at around 7 am at the level crossing near Karna Subarna railway station, about 214 km from Kolkata. The Tata Sumo van was ferrying children to school when it attempted to cross the tracks and was hit by the train. Railway officials said the level-crossing gate was reported to have been open at the time of the accident.The accident took place at the Gobindapur rail gate when a vehicle carrying schoolchildren attempted to cross the tracks and was hit by a train. A cyclist was also struck in the collision, while several children sustained serious injuries and were admitted to Berhampore Hospital.Following the incident, locals staged a protest, expressing anger over the alleged negligence of the Railways and the gatekeeper. Several residents claimed the gatekeeper may have been intoxicated at the time of the accident, according to local media. Videos from the accident site showed a trail of destruction, with the school van's windows shattered, its body crushed like a can, the windshield smashed, and the roof almost ripped off.A 10-member team was rushed to the place to investigate the cause of the accident, he told PTI. Locals rushed the injured students to the nearby hospital. Three children and the driver were admitted to the ICU at Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital. The remaining injured children are also undergoing treatment at the same hospital. Train services in the Azimganj-Katwa section of Eastern Railway's Howrah division were affected following the accident, the official said.The crash near Karna Subarna station disrupted train services on the section, while the Railway Police and local police launched an investigation into the incident.After the Berhampore school van-train accident claimed three lives, Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar termed the deaths of the children "heartbreaking" and sought a thorough inquiry into the incident."Any loss of life is tragic, but the death of children is even more heartbreaking. A thorough inquiry is necessary, and I believe the Railways will conduct a separate investigation."- EndsInputs from Tapas SenguptaPublished On: Jul 17, 2026 10:08 IST