Maharashtra: 3 Railway Staffers Run Over By Local Train In Palgarh While Fixing Signal

Three staffers of the Western Railways were run over by a local train in the Palgarh district in Maharashtra while they were fixing a signalling point.

Three staffers of the Western Railway were run over by a suburban local train near Palghar district, Maharashtra, on Monday while they were fixing a signal. As per Western Railway CPRO, the employees had gone to rectify a signalling point that had malfunction in the evening, reported news agency PTI.  

A Government Railway Police (GRP) officer said the incident occurred at 8:55 PM between Vasai Road and Naigaon stations on the up slow line when the local train was going towards Churchgate. According to news agency IANS, Western Railway chief spokesperson Sumit Thakur identified the deceased as chief signalling inspector (Bhayandar) Vasu Mitra, electrical signalling maintainer (Vasai Road) Somnath Uttam Lambutre, and assistant Sachin Wankhede.

The GRP further said that all of the staffers belonged to Western Railways's Mumbai division.

According to IANS, the WR Divisional Railway Manager and other seniors rushed to the spot on hearing of the incident to extend their help to the families of the deceased.

Western Railways has ordered a probe into the tragic incident, and the authorities have paid Rs 55,000 each as immediate relief to the family members of the deceased staffers. 

Other payments, dues, and ex gratia will be disbursed to the families of the three deceased staffers within 15 days. Mitra's family was entitled to receive Rs 1.24 crore, while the families of Lambutre and Wankhede will receive Rs 40 lakh each, reported IANS. The process to settle other official dues (DCRG, GIS, leave encashment) to be paid to their family is already underway, added Thakur, reported ANI. 

The bodies of the three victims have been sent for autopsy and the Vasai Government Railway Police has registered a case of accidental death, reported the Times of India (TOI).

After the incident, the Western Mazdoor Sangh (WRMS) demanded that the safety aspects of the staff that works on railway tracks be properly examined by the administration, reported TOI.