3 of a family killed as car races train to reach station faster in Varanasi

The car comprising four family members had failed to catch the train from Prayagraj and Gopiganj railway stations, and was aiming to reach the third stoppage at Varanasi before the train.

A family's bid to catch a train turned fatal for three of its members after the car they were travelling in met with an accident near Varanasi. The family members were trying to race ahead of the train to catch it in Varanasi when the driver lost control and the vehicle crossed the divider, and smashed into a truck trailer in the opposite lane, Hindustan Times' sister publication Live Hindustan reported.

Police arrived after local people informed them about the accident, but it took several hours to evacuate those trapped inside the damaged car. (Picture courtesy: Live Hindustan) (File)

The incident happened in Rohaniya area of Varanasi.

According to Live Hindustan report, Lilavati and his elder son Ashutosh needed to catch a train from Prayagraj to go to Siwan in Bihar. For this purpose, her son, Akhilesh Patel, his younger brother Shailesh, along with Lilavati, Ashutosh, and another named Ajit of the family, left for the station at 4am on Wednesday.

Shailesh was driving the car. Ajit occupied the front seat, while the back seats were taken by Lilavati and her grandson Chandan. When the car reached Prayagraj station, the family learnt that the train had already left from there. They then decided to board the train from the next station at Gopiganj. However, when the car arrived at Gopiganj, the train had left from there as well. The next stoppage was Varanasi, and the family decided to drive fast in order to reach the station before the train.

Owing to the speed, the car went out of control on the highway near Rajatalab in Varanasi. As a result, the vehicle ran over the divider and drove into another lane before colliding with the trailer. The car’s hood was blown away in the incident. Local people informed the police, but even after they arrived, it took several hours to evacuate those trapped inside the damaged car. Lilavati, Ajit and Chandan died during the evacuation, while Shailesh has been admitted to a hospital in a critical condition.