School students among three dead after train collides with pool car at open level crossing in West Bengal

Three people, including two school students, were killed and several others injured after a local train collided with a school pool car at a railway level crossing in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Friday morning.

The accident took place around 7 am near Karna Subarna railway station, about 48 km from Katwa, on the Eastern Railway network.

According to railway officials, the pool car was carrying schoolchildren and was attempting to cross the tracks when it was hit by an oncoming local train near Berhampore.

"The pool car, carrying the students to school, was crossing the rail lines at the level crossing gate near Karna Subarna station, about 48 km from Katwa, when the local train hit the vehicle," an Eastern Railway official said.

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Local residents alleged that the level-crossing gate was open at the time of the collision. Railway sources said the gateman has been arrested following the incident.

Visuals from the scene showed the pool car extensively damaged, with shattered windows, a mangled front section, a smashed windshield and a severely torn roof. The injured were taken to Karnasubarna Block Hospital for treatment.

Railway authorities have launched an investigation, with a 10-member team sent to the site to determine the cause of the accident. Speaking to PTI, an official said the level-crossing gate was open when the collision occurred.

The crash also disrupted train services on the Azimganj-Katwa section of the Eastern Railway's Howrah division.

According to railway sources, an ex gratia compensation of Rs 10 lakh has been announced for the families of those killed.

Reacting to the incident, Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar described the deaths of the children as "heartbreaking" and called for a thorough investigation.

"Any loss of life is tragic, but the death of children is even more heartbreaking. A thorough inquiry is necessary, and I believe the Railways will conduct a separate investigation," he said.