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Shahira Naim
Tribune News Service
Lucknow, April 26
Thirteen schoolchildren died in an accident when a Gorakhpur-bound passenger train rammed into the school van at an unmanned railway crossing in Kushinagar district on Thursday morning.
Eight students have been rushed to the Kushinagar district hospital.
The driver of the van succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
The accident occurred at Dudhi-Bahpurwa railway crossing under Vishnupura police station at 6.50 am when the school van of Divine Public School carrying around 25 children reportedly ignored the approaching Gorakhpur-Barhni passenger train and crossed the railway line.
Expressing his condolences, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed Gorakhpur division commissioner Anil Kumar to conduct an immediate inquiry into the cause of the accident.
Postponing his scheduled visit to Amroha in western UP, Yogi is expected to arrive in Kushinagar in a little while.
He has also announced Rs 2 lakh as ex gratia to the next of kin of the deceased.
According to an eyewitness, the train horn was audible as it was approaching the unmanned crossing. The van driver, apparently getting late for school, took a chance which cost them dear.
Speaking to reporters, Gorakhpur-headquartered North Eastern Division CPRO Sanjay Yadav described the accident as unfortunate saying that at the unmanned crossing the onus was on the road user.
He said the preliminary reports suggested that the Gate Mitra on duty at the crossing had alerted the school van driver of the approaching train which he ignored.