A train collided with a car carrying school students in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district killing at least five people, including children, on Friday (July 17, 2026). Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that the rail gateman was arrested, while Opposition leaders wondered if the accident was due to a systematic failure.
Hundreds of people gathered at the railway crossing where the accident occurred to rescue the victims and survivors in the aftermath of the accident that reportedly occurred around 7 a.m.
Three people died on the spot, including two children, while two other students succumbed while getting treatment after they were taken to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital. The car driver is also battling for his life upon sustaining injuries in the accident.
There were reportedly eight people in the car as four others are still fighting for their life at the hospital. One local man, who was also at the railway crossing, got hit by the train and passed away on the spot.
A 10-member team from the Railways reached the spot in the morning. The arrested gateman has been taken for medical examination to find out if he was intoxicated.
The accident occurred at a railway level crossing near Karna Subarna railway station in Murshidabad‘s Behrampur area. The car was reportedly trying to cross the level crossing when the train rammed into it.
“One train passed by and the gateman opened the gates. Some cars and people started crossing, but that’s when the other train came in at great speed. Why did the gateman not know that there is another scheduled train?” a family member of an injured person told the media.
Mr. Adhikari offered his condolences to the bereaved families and said that a thorough investigation will be launched into the matter.
“We are ensuring that the best medical care is provided to those undergoing treatment. Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee is personally ensuring that the injured receive the best possible treatment at the medical college. Negligence will not be tolerated,” Mr. Adhikari wrote on his social media account.
The Chief Minister also told media persons that he has been in touch with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and has briefed him about the accident. Mr. Adhikari added that the incident occurred due to a “human error” which cannot be pardoned and was not an “accident”. He said that initial investigation has revealed that the gateman was the main person responsible for the accident.
The Railways have announced ₹10 lakh compensation for the family of the deceased and ₹2.5 lakh each of the injured.
Systematic failure: Opposition
Meanwhile, Opposition leaders launched an attack on the issue of railway safety and accused the administration of systematic failure leading to repeated accidents.
Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also shared his condolences with the victims’ families and questioned if the deaths were caused due to negligence.
“The people of Bengal deserve a government that protects lives, not the recurring failures of the much-touted “Double Engine Government” which has proven to be nothing short of a DOUBLE ENGINE DISASTER,” Mr. Banerjee wrote in a social media post.
Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury visited the accident site and spoke to locals. “The gateman is the main person behind this. He opened the gates without any safety precautions...We are seeing bullet trains in India, but basic safety is compromised,” the former Behrampur MP said, while adding that it is a matter of rail safety and called for proper investigation.
Mr. Chowdhury, who was also Union Minister of State for Railways during his tenure as MP during the UPA regime, also questioned if the gateman was not properly trained or was a casual worker. He also accused the gateman of being under the influence of alcohol. This was an accusation that was also echoed by senior Trinamool leader and MLA Kunal Ghosh.
Published - July 17, 2026 10:25 am IST