Gateman, driver on the run

A day after the accident at Khulshi Railway Crossing in Chattogram, which led to three deaths, including a traffic constable and an HSC examinee, police are yet to arrest the gateman of the crossing.

The three-way collision between a running train, CNG-run auto-rickshaw, and bus allegedly took place due to gateman Ashraful Alamgir Bhuiyan's negligence, which resulted in a barrier on one side of the crossing remaining open as the train rushed in.

The important crossing has remained neglected for years, with garbage piling up at the footing of its barriers. Photo: Rajib Raihan

Police said both the driver of the bus and the gateman have been on the run ever since the incident. "We have identified both of them and are trying to arrest them," said OC Nazim Uddin of Chattogram Railway Police Station.

Meanwhile, the probe committee formed by Government Railway Police has started investigations to find out whose fault cost the three innocent lives.

After going through CCTV footage, the committee shed new light on the accident's causes. In the footage, it was seen that a running bus ploughed through the traffic and later collided with the running train triggering the fatal accident.

The CCTV footage also revealed that two CNG-run auto-rickshaws and a three-wheeler taxi were standing on the road as the train passed the crossing. Suddenly, the red coloured bus pushed them from behind and ran towards the train.

Fellow students and friends of deceased Sadraz took to the streets to protest his killing and demanded justice for all road and rail accident victims. Photo: Rajib Raihan

The footage also confirmed that gateman Alamgir did not pull down the rail barrier on side of the crossing.

 GRP Additional Superintendent of Police Md Abdul Gafur, also head of the probe committee, told The Daily Star, "We are recording statements from witnesses and trying to find out who is responsible."

While visiting the spot yesterday evening, it was seen that police were recording statements of the witnesses. As the gateman fled from the crossing area, the authorities appointed a temporary gateman to resume train operation on the route safely.

Md Mamun Khan, who works at Jhawtala Railway Station, said "I came to the crossing in the morning. Barriers on both sides of the crossing are working fine."

Meanwhile, protesting the death of HSC examinee Sadraz, fellow students and friends staged a demonstration demanding justice. Agitated students of Pahartali Degree College, where Sadraz studied, brought out a procession from the college and later formed a human chain near the crossing around noon.

Speaking at the rally, Sadraz's friend  Rashedul Hasan Bappi alleged, "There is no discipline on the roads, where thousands of people like Sadraz lose their lives due to mismanagement."