Begusarai: The tragic death of Amar Kumar Raut, a railway worker crushed during a shunting operation at Barauni Junction on Saturday, has drawn national attention following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi‘s intervention. Rahul, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, shared a photo of Raut on his official X account, condemning the incident. He described it as “horrific” and attributed it to the Indian Railways’ longstanding negligence, lack of staffing and poor safety measures. “When will the common people be safe, Modiji? You are just engaged in making ‘one’ Adani safe,” he commented in a direct criticism of the govt’s priorities.
The accident took place as Raut, 35, was detaching the engine from the Lucknow-Barauni Express on platform 5. He was caught unawares when, due to a communication failure, the engine moved backward, crushing him between the engine and the parcel van. According to officials, the buffer device, designed to cushion shocks between train coaches, failed to protect him due to this miscommunication.
Eyewitnesses said after the incident, onlookers raised an alarm, prompting the shunting engine driver to flee, abandoning the engine. Raut, who lived in Dalsinghsarai in Samastipur district, had been appointed in the railways on compassionate grounds after his father’s death. His family said he was to be married on December 11.
A preliminary report by five railway officials attributed the incident to a miscommunication between Raut and another railway worker, Mohd Suleman, who allegedly signalled the driver incorrectly. Suleman, however, denied responsibility, placing blame on the driver.
Sonepur divisional railway manager Vivek Bhushan Sood has called for a high-level investigation to examine the incident further. East Central Railway general manager Chhatrasal Singh has also ordered an independent inquiry.