Motorcyclist dies after being hit by speeding train in Mayurbhanj district

Baripada: A bike-borne youth was killed after being hit by a speeding train while the motorcyclist was passing through the railway tracks near Krushnachandrapur station under Betanoti police limits in Mayurbhanj district, today morning.

The deceased was identified as 35-year-old Niranjan Mahanta, the son of Budhuram from Tungadhua village. The fatal mishap took place at around 6.30 am when Shalimar Superfast Express was on its way from Kolkata via Baripada. The youth died on the spot, an eyewitness stated.

A local villager said that previously there used to be a manned level crossing. Owing to road extension work on NH-18, the barrier was removed. Such incidents have previously occurred at the same place. “Despite repeated demand, the level crossing was not constructed again,” some locals rued.

Incensed locals staged a protest near the accident site demanding compensation and a level crossing. Betanoti police and Government Railway Police (GRP) were trying to convince the irate locals by promising to take the matter to their higher-ups, till this report was filed.