A heart-wrenching railway accident in Bihar’s West Champaran claimed the lives of two teenagers on Friday, underscoring the perils of filming social media content near live tracks. The duo was creating a reel when the Amrit Bharat Express mowed them down, leaving the community in mourning.
Eyewitness accounts and official statements pinpoint the tragedy to the stretch between Sathi station and Gulab Nagar crossing on the Bettiah-Narkatiaganj route, close to pillar 234/31. As revealed by Sathi station superintendent Santosh Kumar, the incident unfolded as the passenger train sped from Muzaffarpur to Narkatiaganj, while a military convoy thundered along the adjacent track in the opposite direction.
‘The youngsters were positioned perilously close to the rails, mobiles in hand for their video. Spotting trains barreling in from both sides, they froze in panic and stepped right into harm’s way,’ Kumar detailed. The impact was instantaneous and fatal for both 16-year-olds: Salman Alam of Dharmpur Sathi and Alamgir Alam of Bhedihari under Purushottampur thana.
Panic ensued as locals rushed to the site, amplifying the distress in the area. GRP Bettiah was immediately alerted via memo, with probes now focusing on the sequence of events. Families received the remains, and formalities are progressing.
In a public safety plea, Kumar warned against venturing near tracks during foggy winter hours when sightlines are severely compromised. This incident highlights a growing concern over reckless behavior for online fame, prompting calls for stricter enforcement and education on rail safety across Bihar’s rural belts.
