A catastrophic collision between a school van and a passenger train at Semmanguppam in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district claimed the lives of two students and injured at least six others on Tuesday morning, police and railway officials confirmed.

The accident occurred around 7:45 am when the van, carrying students from a private CBSE school, attempted to cross Railway Level Crossing Gate No. 170, a non-interlocked manned gate between Cuddalore and Alappakkam. It was struck by Train No. 56813, the Villupuram–Mayiladuthurai passenger, which dragged the van nearly 50 meters, leaving it mangled, according to eyewitnesses and police reports.

The impact flung the van off the tracks, and the loco pilot halted the train after covering some distance. Emergency services rushed the injured, including the van driver and a caretaker, to Cuddalore Government Hospital, where some remain in critical condition.

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Preliminary inquiries by Southern Railway suggest the van driver pressured the gatekeeper to allow the vehicle to cross as the gate was being closed, a decision that proved fatal. However, eyewitnesses claim the gatekeeper was negligent, alleging he had dozed off and failed to secure the gate in time, sparking public outrage. The gatekeeper was assaulted by an angry crowd and rescued by Superintendent of Police S. Jayakumar.

Southern Railway has suspended the gatekeeper and dispatched a relief train with medical support. A committee from the safety, operations, and engineering branches is investigating the incident, with Cuddalore SP Jayakumar overseeing a parallel police probe.

The tragedy has raised serious concerns about safety protocols at manned railway crossings, with locals demanding accountability for the alleged negligence.

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