Lalu son has close shave as train driver averts mishap

It was the headlights of the vehicles in the cavalcade that made me think that they were crossing the railway track. I applied emergency brakes and the train stopped at a safe distance from the level crossing, the driver said.

Gateman at the level crossing Vijay Narayan Singh said he had no information from the nearest railway station of Bagaha to close the gate. Bagaha station superintendent Jaikumar Prasad said: Though it is very much a manned crossing,its gates remain always closed. Locals,however,refuted Prasads claims saying the level crossing remains open and is closed when trains pass.

RJD spokesperson Randhir Yadav told The Indian Express : Neither Tejaswiji nor anyone of us knew about the train approaching us. It was only after some time that we learnt about having a narrow escape. Randhir,who was accompanying Tejaswi,said: We can only thank our stars that no untoward incident took place. But it is a serious security lapse that too at a manned railway crossing. The matter must be investigated.