Kolkata: In a tragic accident at Karnasubarna in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, four people, including three schoolchildren, were killed on Friday after a train collided with a school van while it was crossing a railway line.
#WATCH | West Bengal | A number of students were injured after a vehicle carrying school students was hit by a train at a railway level crossing at Karnasuvarna in Murshidabad’s Berhampore
Visuals from the accident site pic.twitter.com/wpzdL7Zqlf
— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2026
Three more students and the driver of the school van were admitted to the hospital in critical condition. The school van was completely damaged in the collision.
Accident Occurred During Morning Hours
According to local residents and eyewitnesses, the accident took place around 7 a.m. when the Nimtita-Katwa local train was travelling on the down line.
Eyewitnesses claimed that shortly before the accident, the Howrah-bound Nabadwip Express had passed through the up line and the Gobindpur railway gate was not closed.
“Seeing the gate open, the school van carrying several students started crossing the railway line. At that moment, the Nimtita-Katwa local train came at high speed and hit the school van,” eyewitnesses said.
Rescue Operations Launched, Injured Shifted to Hospital
Following the collision, local people immediately rushed to the spot and began rescue operations. Police teams later reached the accident site and joined the rescue efforts.
Four people, including three schoolchildren, died on the spot. The injured students and the driver were shifted to Baharampur Medical College and Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment.
A police officer said that the condition of the injured students and the driver remained critical, and the possibility of the death toll increasing could not be ruled out.
Railway Investigation Underway
The initial investigation has pointed towards possible negligence in managing the railway gate. Officials said the gateman allegedly kept the crossing open despite receiving information about the approaching train.
An eyewitness claimed that the school van driver was unaware of the approaching train and was crossing the railway track when the collision occurred.
A four-member railway inspection team comprising senior officials has reached the accident site from Howrah. The team is expected to submit a detailed report on the cause of the accident to higher authorities.