Cuddalore train accident: gate was open when the school van crossed the track

In a significant breakthrough in the Cuddalore school van-train accident in which three children were killed, investigators have found clinching evidence to prove that the manned level crossing gate at Semmankuppam was open at the time of the collision. The gatekeeper had left the gate (LC-170) open. As a result, the speeding passenger train rammed the van, killing three students and injuring two others, police sources said on Friday.

Gatekeeper Pankaj Sharma gave a private number to the Alapakkam Station Master, claiming that he had closed the gate. However, he had lied. After the accident, he called up the Station Master again and admitted that he had not closed the gate. The conversation took place in the auto voice recorder phone, the sources told The Hindu.

Explaining the sequence of events on July 8, the sources said the Cuddalore Station Master called up his Alapakkam counterpart at 7.08 a.m., requesting clearance for Train No. 56813 Villupuram-Mayiladuthurai Passenger. The Alapakkam Station Master instructed the gatekeepers of four level crossing gates in his jurisdiction to close the gates. After receiving confirmation that the gates were closed along with private numbers, he informed the Cuddalore Station Master that the line was clear.

The train started from Cuddalore at 7.20 a.m. Ten minutes later, he received a call from Pankaj Sharma, who said the train had collided with a school van. Pankaj Sharma also informed that he had given the private number without closing the gate.

Survivors’ statements

The evidence that has emerged corroborates the statements of two survivors — van driver C. Shankar and student Vishwesh — that the gate was open. There has been no evidence to prove Southern Railway’s claim that the gate was closed and then opened after the van driver “insisted”.

Investigators are retrieving the conversation between the Alapakkam Station Master and Pankaj Sharma from the communication system.

The statement of the loco pilot and the assistant loco pilot of the train on the status of the gate and whether they saw the gatekeeper to exchange signals would also be recorded, the sources said.

Gate was open: FIR

Meanwhile, the First Information Report of the Government Railway Police (GRP), registered on June 8, says the manned non-interlocked level crossing gate at Semmankuppam was open when the accident took place.

Acting on the van driver’s complaint, the GRP, Chidambaram station, mentioned in the FIR that the gatekeeper had not closed the gate knowing well that the Villupuram-Mayiladuthurai Passenger was approaching. The complainant said the carelessness of the gatekeeper had resulted in the train colliding with the van.