6 contractual railway workers killed as engine-less stationary wagons run over them
By Akshya Rout
Jajpur: Six contractual labourers on Wednesday evening lost their lives after wagons of an engine-less goods train parked near Jajpur Road railway station allegedly surprisingly started to roll down the track and ran over them during a thunderstorm.
Two others were also injured, one of them seriously, in the mishap.
As per initial reports, the rail wagons were parked on the safety track. As a thunderstorm suddenly hit the place, the labourers took shelter under them.
It is suspected that the gusty wind that accompanied the thunderstorm propelled the wagons, resulting in the death of the labourers.
The deceased, according to the locals, hailed from nearby villages.
They were reportedly engaged by a contractor for railway work.
According to East Coast Railway (ECoR) chief public relations officer Biswajit Sahoo, the engine-less train was actually a monsoon reserve rake without engine. The wagons were loaded with materials used for repairing damaged tracks during the rainy season.
“It (the wagons) rolled on due to heavy thunderstorms, today,” said a statement by the Indian Railways said.
Khurda Road divisional railway manager (DRM) Rinkesh Roy visited the spot soon after the mishap.
The DRM said a high level inquiry was ordered to find out how the stationary wagons rolled on the tracks despite being chained and restrained by the appropriate equipment.
The injured persons were sent to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
