At least 12 persons were killed and three others injured after they were run over by a Chennai-bound train at Sukhi Sevania railway station, about 10 kms from here, today morning. All the victims belonged to Bhopal and were on their way to Sanchi to attend a fair.Additional Superintendent of Police Deepak Verma said that prima facie it was evident that the ill-fated passengers had ignored the train whistle.‘‘There was something going on on the tracks — we suspect an altercation between some passengers. This led a group of passengers to gather on the track. While some heard the hooter, the victims, perhaps due to the commotion, failed to act in time,’’ Verma told The Indian Express.Officials said that at about 11 am, 1589 Dn Itarsi-Beena train made a scheduled halt at the Sukhi Sevania station. Around 50 Sanchi-bound passengers alighted and squatted on the parallel railway track, waiting for their train to leave. Officials, quoting eyewitnesses, said that an altercation took place between two youths in the group over an unspecified reason, following which more people converged on the track.In the meantime, Chennai bound 6093 Lucknow-Chennai train moved in. Having spotted people from some distance, the driver blew the whistle and attempted to apply emergency brakes. But 12 passengers failed to clear the track and got over-run. Railway officials said that while the train was moving at just 50 km per hour, and the driver made all attempts to stop the train, it was delayed action by victims themselves that lead to the mishap.District Collector Sanjay Shukla, who rushed to the spot after the incident, said a detailed inquiry would be carried out. The state government and the Union Railway Ministry have announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 lakh to the members of family of each of the deceased victims. The injured will be given Rs 25,000 each. The injured have been admitted to the railway hospital.Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended at Rahul Nagar locality from which most victims hailed. Wails could be heard even some distance from the houses as bodies of victims were brought in. The father of 27-year-old Dinesh Janki fainted when his son’s body was brought home. ‘‘He left at about 8 am with his friends saying he wanted to attend the mela. He had been married for just a few years and has left behind his wife and a child,’’ said one of Dinesh’s friends. Dinesh had just managed to land himself a job as a contract employee with a private firm. ‘‘We are shattered. We haven’t told the wife yet,’’ said his father.The story was no different at the house of 18-year-old Anil Ingle. Ingle had just joined college and had insisted on going to the mela against the wishes of his family. ‘‘We tried hard to convince him not to go. But since he had given a commitment to his friends, we agreed. We never thought that our permission would end his life,’’ said his wailing father, Prasad. At the Hamidia hospital, where the bodies were brought in, some relatives collapsed on seeing the bodies. ‘‘He always wanted to attend the annual Sanchi mela. He could not make it last year due to some work. This time, he did manage to leave home but failed to make it,’’ said Suresh, a friend of another victim 20-year-old, Rajendra. Family members of 20-year-old Pinki Vishwakarma were also in a state of stock after Pinki’s body was handed over to them. She had left with a relative and got caught in the commotion.
