NHRC notices to railways, TN govt, DGP over train-school van collision

The NHRC on Thursday said it has issued notices to the Railway Board, the Tamil Nadu government and the state's police chief over the death of three school students after their van collided with a passenger train in Cuddalore district.

In a statement, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said it has taken "suo motu cognisance of media reports that the passenger train collided with a school van at a level crossing in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, killing three children and injuring several others on 8th July".

The Commission has observed that the content of the media report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of human rights.

The Commission has issued notices to the Chairman, Railway Board, Ministry of Railways, as well as the chief secretary and the director general of police of Tamil Nadu, seeking a detailed report in two weeks, including the present health status of the persons who sustained injuries in the incident, the statement said.

While the Southern Railway said the level crossing was closed and the van driver insisted it be opened to avoid delay, the latter and one of the injured students claimed the gate was open.

There were four students and the driver in the vehicle when the incident happened.

An underpass is already sanctioned by Southern railway at the gate with full Railway funding, but permission for it is not being given by the District Collector for the last one year, the Southern Railways claimed.