Six daily labourers deployed for track maintenance near Jajpur Keonjhar Road Station in Odisha were killed when a goods train under which they had taken shelter during a nor’wester, began moving on June 7.
One person was critically injured. Incidentally, the goods train did not have engine. According to eyewitnesses, the labourers were working on the track. As the nor’wester threatened heavy rain, they scurried for cover under a monsoon reserve rake without engine reserved at the sick line near Jajpur Keonjhar Road rolled on due to heavy thunderstorms.
“As the rakes began moving under impact of strong wind and rain, the labourers tried to escape from the spot. Subsequently, they came under the wheel of rakes resulting in deaths of labourers,” said Biswajit Sahu, Chief Public Relation Officer of East Coast Railway.
Three persons died on the spot while three others died of injuries in hospital. One is in critical condition. Divisional Railway Manager of Khurda Road division and Chief Safety Officer of East Coast Railway rushed to the spot.
Mr. Sahu said these kinds of rakes were either kept under chain or other braking system. “A high level probe has been ordered,” he said.
The death of six labourers has taken place six days after the deadly accident involving three trains at Bahanaga Railway Station in Balasore district which claimed 288 lives.
