Train mows down 4 minors

The deceased have been identified as Mohammad Kalu (11),Mohammad Saboo (12),Mohammad Navi (13) and Mohammad Irshad (14) — all sons of Mohammad Azad,a slum dweller who lives on Ballopur Road near the Grain Market in Lalru. Azad,who works as a stonemason,is married to one Zubeda and has a daughter,Subeda.

The bodies,which were cut into pieces and strewn 30-130 feet away from the railway track,were handed over to their family after postmortem.

The accident took place at 9.54 am,when the Sadbhavna Express passenger train was on its way from Ambala to Chandigarh. A group of six minor children — all ragpickers — were coming from the opposite direction on foot. They were collecting garbage along the railway track,Mohali Superintendent of Police (City-II) Sunita Rani said.

As the ragpickers reached a narrow bridge,they saw the train zooming in from the opposite direction but instead of stopping,they started running in a bid to cross the bridge. While two of them were fortunate enough to jump across,the others were trapped in between. The train was stranded at the spot for almost 10 minutes following the accident.

Around 1.15 pm,the chopped body parts — which were put together — were identified by Zubeda,said the SP. The railway police have initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC.

CAUTION UNHEARD

When the ragpickers were running towards the train,a railway key man,Chandrika — who was on a track patrolling duty — cautioned them not to go ahead and wait for the train to pass. But the children did not pay heed.

KILLER BRIDGE

The 40-meter-long railway overbridge,on which the accident took place,has attained the distinction of a “killer” bridge. “As it is too narrow,when a train passes through it,there is no space on either sides,Many lives have been lost here in the past as well,” said Babloo — a resident of the area.