Mangled remains of the autovan beside the railway tracks on Monday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Nov. 19: The driver of an autovan was seriously injured and the vehicle damaged when a moving train rammed into it in the Machkhowa area of the city this afternoon.

Negligence of duty on the part of a railway gateman, who was allegedly in an inebriated condition, led to the collision between the train and the vehicle at railway gate no. 7 at Machkhowa. The gateman is absconding, Government Railway Police (GRP) sources said.

Witnesses said the gateman, who appeared to be under the influence of liquor, closed the two gates at the level crossing with the autovan stranded on the tracks between the gates.

“The driver of the autovan panicked when he saw the freight train approach. He tried to jump out of the vehicle, but there was not enough time,” an eyewitness to the accident, Md Rubul Ali, said.

Though the driver of the Guwahati-bound goods train, which was coming from Dadar, tried his best to slam the emergency brake, the train rammed into the stranded auto. The auto driver was seriously injured as a result.

The auto driver, identified as 25-year-old Anil Das, was admitted to the railway hospital at Maligaon, where doctors said his condition was now “out of danger”. Das is a resident of Jalukbari.

According to GRP sources, railway gateman Ganga Yadav, who was on duty, absconded after the accident.

“The railway gateman was at fault. He closed the gates in a hurry, barely a couple of minutes before the train arrived. That is why the auto got stuck on the railway tracks between the closed gates,” another witness, Vikas Gupta, said.

Gupta alleged that the gateman was in an inebriated condition. Empty bottles of liquor were found inside the gateman’s cabin.

“We have never seen such an accident at a manned level crossing. If the gateman had closed the gates even five minutes before the train arrived, the gates could have been reopened to allow the stranded auto to exit,” Gupta pointed out.

Local residents echoed Gupta and demanded action against the gateman for alleged negligence of duty.

“On earlier occasions, too, we have seen the railway gatemen on duty at gate no. 7 drinking hooch during duty hours at a nearby illicit liquor den. The railway authorities should take note of such unsavoury trends,” said a resident.

A railway spokesperson said the railways have ordered an inquiry into the accident and action will be taken against the gateman if he was found guilty.

“At his moment, I can only say that an inquiry has been ordered. Let’s wait for the outcome of the probe before reaching a conclusion. We cannot pronounce anyone guilty without knowing the circumstances leading to the accident,” the official said.

A GRP officer said they have also launched a separate investigation into the accident and, prima facie, the gateman seems to be at fault.

“At a manned level crossing, it is the duty of the gateman to ensure that no vehicle is on the tracks before closing the gates. We are trying to track down the gateman for questioning,” the GRP officer said.

“An overbridge is needed at this level crossing. The railway gates remain closed most of the time as there is frequent movement of trains at this point. Motorists as well as pedestrians try to race ahead and cross over the tracks even when the gates are being closed,” said Umesh Chourasia, a trader at BR Phukan Road in Machkhowa.