Railway Employee Crushed to Death During Shunting of Lucknow-Barauni Express in Bihar’s Begusarai

In a tragic incident, a railway employee was crushed to death during the shunting of the Lucknow-Barauni Express at Barauni Junction in Bihar’s Begusarai district. The deceased has been identified as 35-year-old Arun Kumar Raut, a shunt man working with the Sonpur Railway Division.

Raut, a resident of Dalsinghsarai in Samastipur district, was involved in preparing the couplings of the parcel van to attach it to the shunting engine of train no. 15204, Lucknow-Barauni Express, when the fatal accident occurred. Reports suggest that as Raut was completing his task, the shunting engine’s loco pilot unexpectedly moved the engine backward, trapping Raut between the engine and the parcel coach. Eyewitnesses at the scene raised alarms, but by the time help arrived, it was too late. The driver of the shunting engine reportedly fled the site, leaving the engine behind, as onlookers attempted to assist the victim.

The accident took place at Barauni Junction, a major railway hub under the jurisdiction of the Sonpur Railway Division. Railway authorities have launched an investigation into the incident to determine the cause of the accident and why the engine moved without completing the coupling process. A railway spokesperson expressed condolences and assured that the investigation would look into the safety protocols followed during the shunting operation. The Railway Ministry has also been informed about the tragic incident.

This accident comes amid growing concerns about safety in Indian Railways. Earlier in the day, the Secunderabad-Shalimar Superfast Weekly Express (Train no. 22850) derailed in Nalpur, located in the Kharagpur Division. Around three coaches of the train went off the tracks at 5:31 am while passing through Nalpur Station. Railway officials promptly reached the site, and passengers were rescued from the derailed coaches. Thankfully, there were no fatalities reported in that incident.

The increasing number of train derailments and accidents has raised alarms about the need for better safety measures and protocols in India’s vast railway network. The tragic death of Arun Kumar Raut has left his family and colleagues in deep shock. His colleagues described him as a hardworking and dedicated railway employee, and the loss has sent ripples of sorrow across the Barauni Junction.

Railway unions and workers have called for improved safety measures for employees working during shunting operations and better training for loco pilots to prevent such accidents from occurring in the future. As investigations into both incidents continue, the Indian Railways is under pressure to address concerns over safety and ensure that such tragedies do not repeat.