Aurangabad train accident: Loco pilot blew horn to warn labourers, says ministry

At least 16 migrant labourers were crushed to death in the wee hours of Friday morning by a goods train in Maharashtra after they fell asleep on the tracks.

The locomotive pilot driving the freight train that was involved in the Aurangabad train incident had tried to warn the labourers on the track by honking the train’s horn the railway ministry said on Friday. He also tried to stop the train after spotting the men, the ministry further said.

Police personnel along with officials walk on a rail track as they check the site following a train accident in Maharashtra, on Friday. (AFP Photo)

At least 16 migrant labourers were crushed to death in the wee hours of Friday morning by a goods train in Maharashtra after they fell asleep on the tracks.

“The incident occurred, even as the loco pilot of the goods train honked the horn as soon as he noticed the group of people infringing the rail tracks and also made all possible efforts to stop the train, the ministry said.

Incidentally, the average speed of goods trains which is normally around 24 km per hour, has also more than doubled during the lockdown period as the suspension of passenger trains has decongested the rail network.

A high-level inquiry headed by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (South Central Circle) has been ordered to investigate the incident and find out the cause. “The Commissioner of Railway Safety will hold an independent inquiry in today’s labourers runover incident in Parbhani-Manmad section of Nanded Railway division of South Central Railway,” the ministry said.

Union Railways minister Piyush Goyal is closely monitoring the situation and it is being briefing on the steps taken in this regard, it added.

According to railways, the workers left Jalna at 7 pm on Thursday and initially walked on road and later onto the track towards Aurangabad. After walking for about 36 kilometres, these workers started feeling tired and sat on the track between Karnad and Badnapur railway stations for taking some rest and gradually went into deep sleep.

“In an unfortunate event that occurred in the wee hours of May 8, morning, around 5:22 hrs, a group of persons who were sleeping on railway tracks, were hit by a goods train proceeding towards Mandmad. The incident occurred between Badnapur and Karmad stations on the Parbhani-Manmad section of Nanded Division,” it added.

Five others who were injured were taken to the Aurangabad Civil Hospital, railways said. The accident happened between Jalna and Aurangabad in the Nanded Division of South Central Railway in Karmad police station area of the Aurangabad district.

“Out of the group comprising of about 19 persons, 14 succumbed to death on the spot and 2 have succumbed to the injuries subsequently. One person with minor injuries is being treated at the Aurangabad Civil Hospital,” the ministry said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) on Friday announced an ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh each to the families of those who were killed in the Aurangabad train accident.

According to a senior official, the railways does not consider accidents that happen due to external factors as ‘railway accidents’ and hence is not bound to provide ex-gratia relief to the victim’s families. “It is provided only in accidents where the railway is involved such as derailment of trains etc. In this case, states and the Centre are likely to provide the relief,” the official said.

“Extremely anguished by the loss of lives due to the rail accident in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Have spoken to Railway Minister Shri Piyush Goyal and he is closely monitoring the situation. All possible assistance required is being provided,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

Opposition parties alleged the Centre’s transport policy of providing buses and trains to transport migrant workers during the Covid-19 lockdown was poorly designed.

“It is obvious that the transport policy of providing buses and trains to transport migrant workers was poorly designed, planned, coordinated and implemented. Once the policy was announced, government should have gone to the rescue of the trekkers and provided buses or trains to them to continue their journey. The tragedy that happened this morning could have been avoided if governments had gone to the rescue of the migrant workers in time,” Congress Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram said.