Three killed as train hits school van in West Bengal

Three people, including two schoolchildren, were killed when a passenger train collided with a school van at a railway level crossing in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on the morning of Friday, July 17, 2026. Several other students were injured and hospitalized, with some reported to be in critical condition.

The accident occurred at approximately 7 a.m. near the Karna Subarna Railway Station, about 48 kilometers from Katwa. According to Eastern Railway officials, the vehicle, described as a pool car or van carrying students to school, was crossing the tracks at the level crossing gate when it was struck by a local train. The impact severely damaged the vehicle.

Railway authorities stated that the level crossing gate was reportedly open at the time of the collision. An official investigation is underway to determine the precise cause, with a 10-member team from the railways deployed to the site. Preliminary local reports suggested a possible sequence where the gate was shut for one train, opened afterward, and not closed again before the approaching train arrived, but officials have not yet confirmed these details.

The immediate aftermath saw hundreds of local residents...