A heartbreaking tragedy unfolded in Jharkhand’s Pakur district on Tuesday evening, shattering an entire family in an instant. Chandan Sardar, his wife Rinpa Sardar, and their three-year-old daughter Arpita were walking home from a relative’s house when they were struck by the high-speed Vande Bharat Express train at Nagarnabi railway crossing. All three perished on the spot, leaving the local community in profound shock and grief.
The incident occurred around 8 PM near pole numbers 47/40 and 47/38 on the Pakur-Rampurhat rail section. The train, en route from New Jalpaiguri to Howrah, collided with the family as they attempted to cross the tracks on foot. Eyewitnesses described the scene as horrific, with the impact so severe that the victims’ bodies were mangled beyond recognition. Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) teams rushed to the site, recovered the remains, and launched an immediate investigation.
Chandan, a resident of Rajapada area in Pakur, had been visiting his sister in Vikrampur with his wife and young daughter. The family chose to walk back home, a decision that turned fatal. Local residents gathered at the accident site, mourning the loss of the cheerful trio who were full of life just moments earlier. ‘They were a happy family, always smiling,’ said a neighbor, struggling to hold back tears.
This devastating accident has reignited concerns over pedestrian safety at unmanned railway crossings in rural India. Authorities have promised a thorough probe into whether warning signals were functional and if speed restrictions were in place. As the family prepares for a somber farewell, the tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the dangers lurking on railway tracks. The investigation continues, with post-mortems underway to ascertain further details.