CUDDALORE TRAIN-SCHOOL VAN ACCIDENT: 3 CHILDREN KILLED; GATEKEEPER ARRESTED FOR NEGLIGENCE

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Southern Railway announce ex-gratia; eyewitnesses accounts said the gatekeeper had dozed off and failed to close the gate

- ►AJIKUMAR CHENNAI

At least three school children were killed and two others including the driver sustained serious injuries after a school van carrying four students was rammed by a passenger train at a manned gate at Semmankuppam in Cuddalore district on Tuesday (July 8, 2025) around 7.45 a.m.

The van belonging to Krishnaswamy Vidyanikethan, a private CBSE school, attempted to cross the railway level crossing gate no. 170, (a non-interlocked manned gate) between Cuddalore and Alappakkam, when it was hit by train no. 56813 Villupuram-Mayiladuthurai passenger. One other student has been injured and admitted to the Government Hospital, Cuddalore.

According to eyewitness accounts, the railway gatekeeper, identified as Pankaj Sharma, had dozed off and failed to close the gate. The irate crowd also thrashed the gatekeeper following the incident. However, preliminary inquiries by officials suggested that while Mr. Sharma proceeded to close the gate, the van driver insisted to allow the van to cross the gate which should have not been permitted.

Extending condolences, actor-turned-politician Vijay who is the president of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) wrote on X: “Reports have emerged that, despite the decision to construct an underpass in the area where the accident occurred, the district collector has not granted approval for it for over a year. Therefore, I strongly urge the central and state governments to immediately take necessary measures to ensure that the public can travel safely in the area where the accident took place.”

AMMK general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran said that in light of sections of the public complaining about the gatekeeper, the Ministry of Railways should take precautionary measures to avoid the recurrence of such an accident.