Kerala: Search for railway cleaner continues who fell into river after being hit by train in Shoranur; 4 dead
By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Nov 3, 2024, 1:18 PM ISTFour cleaning workers from Tamil Nadu tragically died after being hit by the Kerala Express on the Cochin Bridge near Shoranur Railway Station. The accident happened as a team of ten cleaners worked along the tracks; six managed to escape, while four were struck by the train and fell into the Bharathapuzha River.
Palakkad: The search continues for a sanitation worker missing after a train accident in Shoranur. Fire force teams have begun searching the river on Sunday (Nov 03), while railway officials and police are conducting investigations at the scene.
Four contract cleaners from Tamil Nadu tragically lost their lives on Saturday (Nov 02) after being hit by a train in Shoranur, Palakkad. The group, consisting of four workers—two men and two women—were cleaning tracks on the Bharatapuzha river bridge when the Kerala Express suddenly approached. Unable to reach safety in time, three were struck by the train and fell into the river.
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The bodies of the deceased, identified as Rani, Valli, Lakshmanan, and one unidentified individual all hailing from Salem, have been recovered and taken to the Palakkad District Hospital mortuary.
Meanwhile, Shakthivel, who survived the accident, explained that there was no signal when they began crossing the tracks. It was only when they reached the middle of the track that the signal appeared, and by then, the train was already approaching at high speed. Four people couldn’t escape in time, while six others managed to reach a safety point on one side of the track, Shakthivel told Asianet News.
The tragic accident occurred around 3:05 PM on the Cochin Bridge just past Shoranur Railway Station. The Kerala Express train heading toward Thiruvananthapuram struck four cleaning workers from Tamil Nadu, resulting in their deaths. The cleaning crew consisted of ten members, with six managing to escape by running to safety.
Rani’s husband, Lakshmanan, is still missing and believed to have fallen into the Bharatapuzha River after being struck by the train. A search operation is underway to locate him. The bodies of the three deceased will undergo post-mortem examinations today.
The railway authorities clarified that no security lapse occurred and stated that legal action will be taken against the contractor responsible. They also announced that a compensation of Rs 1 lakh will be provided to each victim’s family. Initial findings suggest walking along the tracks was a mistake, and the police have filed an unnatural death case
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