The accident took place in Malda district of West Bengal. The accident took place in Malda district of West Bengal.

Three women and as many children were mowed down on Friday morning by the Sealdah-bound Shatabdi Express between Baroduari and Kumedpur stations in the New Jalpaiguri-Malda division.

The incident occured when the victims were crossing a railway bridge and the Shatabdi Express, travelling at nearly 110kmph, ran them over.

Among the victims were a woman and her three children who had come from Bihar’s Azamnagar to visit relatives near Baroduari in Malda. They have been identified as Manija Biwi (45) and with her sons – Hasim Ali (4), Nasim Ali (6) and Wasim Ali (8) were killed on the spot. The other victims were their relatives Alethnoor Biwi (55) and Ashia Biwi (35).

Ten-year-old Askhab was the lone survivor in the mishap as he managed to jump away from the tracks in time. However, he sustained minor injuries. He later told police and railway officials that they were going to visit a relative in a nearby village called Latora in Harishchandrapur. They were walking on the narrow bridge in a single file and had no clue that a train was approaching on the same tracks, he said.

Katihar divisional railway manager Uma Shankar Singh said the deaths were unfortunate but to walk on busy railway tracks was to invite danger.

Police officers from Malda and Harishchandrapur rushed to the accident site, retrieved the bodies and sent them for post mortem.

Train services on the section were not affected, said railway officials.

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