Odisha train mishap: Irate villagers withdraw rail roko

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Nuapada, Feb 1:

The rail roko, staged by irate villagers of Gotama at an unmanned level crossing at Kalyanpur in Odisha’s Nuapada district where three persons were killed in a train mishap this morning, was withdrawn in the afternoon after railway officials promised to construct a temporary level crossing soon.

It may be mentioned that three persons of Gotama village were killed when the Indica car in which they were travelling was hit by the Bhawanipatna-Raipur Passenger train while crossing the track at the unmanned level crossing at Kalyanpur at 7.42 AM today.

Following the incident, people of Gotama village staged a rail roko demanding construction of a permanent railway gate. They warned that they would now allow train services on this route till their demands were met.

Due to the rail roko, Puri-Durg Express, Puri-Ahmedabad Express and passenger trains were detained at different railway stations.

Following information, a team of senior Railway officials of Sambalpur Railway Division and the local police rushed to the spot and pacified the villagers.

The villagers withdrew the stir after the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) assured them that the Railway authorities would construct a temporary gate at the level crossing.

Meanwhile, bodies of three deceased villagers, identified as Bhupad Sahu, a lawyer, Satish Sahu, an engineer working at Raipur in Chhattisgarh and Khilaban, the car driver, have been sent to the hospital for post mortem.