3 students killed as school bus collides with train in TN

Three school students died and three others were injured after a passenger train hit a school bus while it was crossing a railway level crossing in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, police said.

- Divya Chandrababu

The gatekeeper posted at the level crossing has been suspended and arrested, Southern Railway officials said.

According to officials, the deceased have been identified as a Class 5 student, T Chezhiyan (10), his sister, a class II student, T Charumathy (16) and a class 6 student, V Nimalesh (11). While Charumathy and Nimalesh died on the spot, Chezhiyan succumbed to injuries at Puducherry JIPMER hospital.

Among those injured are another student travelling in the bus, its driver, and a bystander, who rushed to help but got electrocuted after coming in contact with a live pole that was damaged in the accident. The injured are being treated at a government hospital in Cuddalore, officials said.

Around 7.45am, the school bus tried to cross the railway level crossing between Cuddalore and Alappakkam, and was hit by a Villupuram - Mayiladuthurai passenger train, the railway officials said.

Due to the impact, the bus was flung a distance away from the crossing, police said.