Three employees of the South Central Railway zone died in a train accident in Vikarabad district of Telangana after a train engine ran over them. The incident took place on Wednesday, around 11 am, at a bridge on the Musi river, near the Vikarabad railway station. According to the railway officials, the three workers, along with eight others were carrying out some minor work on a railway bridge when an engine, which was passing through the route, ran over them.
The other workers managed to run away from the engine train, and alerted the Railway Protection Force (RPF) about the mishap. Vikarabad Superintendent of Police (SP), Deputy SP and other Inspectors rushed to the spot.
The three deceased have been identified as Pratap Reddy (58), Navin (34) and Shamshir Ali (22). According to officials, the workers were attached to the Secunderabad headquarters. While Pratap was ground staff, the Navin and Shamshir were bridge assistants.
Speaking to TNM, RPF Inspector said that the exact reason for the horrific incident is being ascertained. "Eleven staff members were working near the site of the accident. While eight of them somehow managed to escape, the three deceased came under the double engine," he said.
“The bodies were sent for post mortem and a case will be registered under the relevant sections soon," the inspector said.
The incident has raised concerns over the maintenance and lapses in the alerting mechanism.
After 16 migrant workers were run over by a goods train on May 8 in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district, Shailesh Kumar Pathak, Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety, had directed the Railway Board to take abundant precaution and instruct zonal railways to avoid such incidents from recurring.
“As an abundant precaution, it is essential that all Railway personnel connected with train operation, maintenance and patrolling activities should be cautioned to immediately communicate any such occurrence of persons walking along the track, if noticed by them, to the nearest station so that necessary action like caution order to all passing trains,” the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety wrote in a letter to the Railway Board.