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In a significant breakthrough in the investigation of the train-van collision in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district, investigators have found key evidence that the manned level crossing gate at Semmankuppam was open at the time of the collision. According to a report by The Hindu, the gatekeeper on duty at the time, Pankaj Sharma, failed to close the LC-170 gate before the train's arrival. As the gate remained open, the van proceeded onto the tracks, where it was struck by the oncoming train. Three children were killed in the collision that happened on June 8.
The incident occurred at Gate No 170 — a manned, non-interlocked level crossing in Semmankuppam — where the Villupuram - Mayiladuthurai passenger train (No 56813) rammed into a school van belonging to Krishnasamy Vidyanikethan CBSE School.
Investigators also found crucial audio evidence from an auto voice recorder phone, which had conversations between Sharma and the Station Master at Alapakkam. In an initial call, Sharma falsely claimed he had closed the gate. However, after the collision, he called the Station Master again and admitted that he had not shut the gate, the report says.
It has to be noted that the accident has escalated into a heated exchange between the Southern Railway and the state government over who is responsible for the safety lapse.
The Southern Railway has acknowledged "criminal negligence" on the part of its gatekeeper, who allegedly violated protocol by allowing the school van to cross the tracks. However, it also pointed fingers at the Cuddalore district administration, claiming it failed to clear a railway-funded underpass proposal that had been pending for over a year.
“The underpass at this level crossing was sanctioned with full railway funding. But permission has not been granted by the District Collector despite repeated requests,” Southern Railway said in a press release.
However, District Collector Sibi Adithya Senthil Kumar told TNM on July 8, that district authorities are looking into the claims made by Southern Railway and details of the communication. “Right now our priority is to provide relief to the family members of those who lost their loved ones and we will be officially responding after verifying all the details,” he said.
The railway’s official release stated: “Preliminary inquiry reveals that the gate was in closed condition when the van arrived. However, the van driver insisted on allowing the van to cross the gate to avoid the delay in reaching the school, which was wrongly permitted by the gatekeeper, violating the rules and protocol.”
Meanwhile, the van driver, Sankar, told reporters that the gate was open and no warning signals were active. “We usually take this route. Today, the gate was already open when we arrived. I didn’t tell the gatekeeper anything. There was no horn and no staff in sight,” he said.
Vishwesh, a 16-year-old student who survived the accident said the same. “The gate was open and there were no lights or sounds. We thought the train had passed,” he said from his hospital bed.
At the time of the accident, Gatekeeper Pankaj Sharma was reportedly asleep when the van approached. He was allegedly assaulted by villagers at the spot and later handed over to police. He has since been suspended and arrested.
Three students lost their lives in the accident: Nimilesh (10), Charumathy (16), and her brother Chezhiyan (15). Two others, Vishwesh and van driver Sankar, are critically injured. A local resident, Annadurai (55), who rushed to help, was electrocuted by a live wire at the scene and is also under treatment.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced Rs 5 lakh as ex-gratia to the families of the deceased, and Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000 to those with serious and minor injuries respectively. The Railway department has also declared a compensation package of Rs 5 lakh for the deceased, Rs 2.5 lakh for the injured, and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries.