Four railway gangmen mowed down by train while repairing tracks in UP's Hardoi

LUCKNOW: In a tragic incident, four railway gangmen were crushed under wheels of the Akal Takht Express train while they were repairing the rail tracks in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi district late on Monday.

The four men were working on the tracks between Sandila and Umartalai when the incident took place.

The deceased have been identified as Kaushal (30), Rajendra (28), Rajesh (32) and Ram Swaroop (59). 

Railway officials said that a probe has been ordered as to why adequate precautions were not taken when repairs were underway by the gangmen. 

Hardoi: #Visuals from the tracks between Sandila & Umartali stations where 4 gangmen died after being run over by Kolkata-Amritsar Akal Takth Express when they were drilling on the rails without any prior block, yesterday afternoon. pic.twitter.com/VLWXn0RiMJ

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 5, 2018

Speaking on the incident, Superintendent of Police (SP) Hardoi Alok Priyadarshi along with senior railway officials pacified the irate families who refused to leave the tracks and allow the bodies to be taken for post-mortem. 

Officials said prima facie the fault seems to be of the permanent way inspector Ram Sanjeevan who was sitting far off from where the repair work was underway.

He neither blocked the tracks nor put red flags to alert coming drivers of trains, an official said, adding that a full probe would fix the responsibility. 

The gangmen had reportedly tightened four bolts on the tracks and had they not done so, the train could have derailed, causing major damage.

Sharad Srivastava, Additional divisional railway manager (ADRM), later said, ''We've ordered an inquiry into the incident. Railways will ensure compensation for families of deceased immediately. Rs 25 lakhs compensation is given in such accidents. We've suspended a PWI (Permanent Way Inspector).''

(With IANS inputs)