Train crushes three labourers hired for signal work

Three labourers, who were hired by the railways to work on shifting signals between Malad and Kandivli stations, were crushed under a suburban train on Thursday night.

Three labourers, who were hired by the railways to work on shifting signals between Malad and Kandivli stations, were crushed under a suburban train on Thursday night.

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At 10pm, Pritesh Pujari, 24, Sharvan Pandey, 25, and Chetu Lorakashyap, 36, were walking on the railway tracks and did not notice the approaching train, said officials of the government railway police.

AR Rail Vikas Sangh, the contractor of the project, had hired the labourers for the job.

Work on shifting the signals was to start around midnight. While eight other labourers and the supervisor, Bipin Singh, were waiting between pole numbers 29/14 and 29/15, the three men went to pick some equipment.

The incident took place when the three labourers were returning to the spot with the equipment.

“They were walking on the tracks near platform number 4 of Kandivli station when they were hit by a train between pole numbers 30/9 and 30/11,” said PM Karyakarte, senior police inspector, Borivli government railway police. An unidentified man, who was crossing the tracks, witnessed the incident and alerted the government railway police officials at the station.

The three men were taken to nearby Bhagwati Hospital, where the doctors declared them dead on arrival.

The government railway police have informed the families of the Pandey, Pujari and Lorakashyap who live in Uttar Pradesh.

The government railway police officials said they would now write a letter to senior railway authorities on precautionary measures that need to be taken by workers on the railway tracks.