At least four policemen were killed and seven others injured on Friday night while a train tossed a pick-up van off the road at Dhelapeer level crossing under Saidpur in Nilphamari.
The deceased were identified as Shamsul Haque, Maidul Islam, Shariful Islam and Faruk Hossain — constables of Saidpur Police Station. Four critically injured policemen
were sent to Dhaka on Saturday afternoon for better treatment.
The level crossing had neither gate barriers nor a gateman.
Saidpur police sub-inspector Kartik Chandra said they were going to nearby village Porarhat to fetch some accused in a pick-up van and a motorcycle on Friday night.
‘At the crossing, a bulb was hanging from a bamboo, because of which we could not see the headlights of train. Around 11:30pm, the van was crossing the level crossing,’ he said.
Instantly, the Nilphamari Express on Nilphamari-Dhaka route hit the van, leaving it to ram against trees by the side of the rail tracks, he said.
Shamsul and Maidul died on spot while Shariful died at Rangpur Medical College and Hospital early Saturday, said Saidpur police duty officer subinspector Shahana.
On Saturday morning, another injured, Faruk, died at the hospital.
After janaza at Nilphamari police field, the bodies were sent to their respective house, the officer added.
Critically injured subinspector Nazmul Hossain, assistant subinspector Abdul Aziz, constable Saddam Hosssain and constable Ripan Chandra were sent to Dhaka.
Three other injured, including officer-in-charge Md Ismail Hossain, were taking primary treatment.
Additional superintendent of police (Saidpur circle) Nilphamari range police Sajedur Rahman told New Age that they would not file any case as the accident had taken place due to negligence of the police members.
Bangladesh Railway’s west zone authorities formed a committee to probe the incident and asked the committee to submit report within the next three working days.
According to the BR statistics, 2,170 level crossings (85 per cent), out of total 2,541 crossings across the country, do not have fences and are ‘unmanned’.
Another railway statistics show that between 2006 and 2012 a total of 201 people were killed and 349 others injured in 264 accidents at level crossings.
-With New Age input
