Four persons were killed in a freak mishap on the outskirts of the city when they got down from a train upon hearing rumours of the engine having caught fire, only to get run over by the Howrah-bound Kalka Express while trying to cross the tracks.
The incident took place last night at Manda Road outer, about 40 kms from the city, where the driver of the Lokmanya Tilak Express, coming from Bhagalpur in Bihar, applied emergency brakes when a stray cattle head got knocked down by the train, according to spokesman of North Central Zone Amit Malaviya.
"As a result of emergency braking, smoke billowed out of the engine.This was construed by some of the passengers as a sign of the engine having caught fire.They panicked and started getting down and did not notice that a speeding train was coming on an adjacent track", Malaviya said.
"Among the four deceased, the woman has been identified as Basanti Devi (35) from a village near Patna.Identities of the remaining three deceased were being established", Malaviya added.
