Maharashtra: 40 students' lucky escape after school bus stuck at level crossing in Nagpur

Representative Image. File Photo

Timely intervention by a loco pilot and locals saved the lives of 40 students after their school bus got stuck on railway tracks at a level crossing in Nagpur, an official told PTI on Friday.

According to the PTI report, the incident occurred at Khaperkheda around 4 pm on Thursday when the school bus driver did not stop even after seeing the red signal at the level crossing, the police official said.

When the bus was on the tracks, both gates of the level crossing closed as a train was to pass through the area, he said, according to PTI.

Within moments, panic and chaos prevailed at the road-rail intersection. Locals soon spilled onto the tracks in their efforts to signal the train driver to stop.

As per the PTI report, a railway official noted that a passenger train was going from Chhindwara in MP to Itwari in Nagpur at the time. Seeing the school in the middle of the level crossing, the gatekeeper alerted the officials through a walkie-talkie.

According to the official, the loco pilot applied the brakes and brought the train to a halt before the level crossing after sensing something was not right since many people had gathered on the tracks.

The official said that within ten minutes, the track was cleared and the bus safely crossed to the other side.

Khaparkheda police station in-charge Dhanaji Zalak said the school bus driver was at fault as he drove the vehicle despite seeing the red signal and knowing the automatic gates would be closing. "On his part, the driver had moved the bus parallel to the railway tracks," he told PTI.

Schools closed in parts of Vidarbha and Raigad, including Nagpur

Due to a heavy rainfall warning, the administration has declared a holiday for schools today in Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur, and Gadchiroli districts in the Vidarbha area, as well as four tehsils of Raigad district in Maharashtra's coastal zone.

The India Meteorological Department predicts significant rainfall, with exceptionally heavy showers possible in isolated regions of Nagpur and adjoining districts in Vidarbha. Residents are advised to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary, reported PTI.

According to the report, on Saturday morning, torrential rains disturbed life in Nagpur and adjacent areas, flooding low-lying areas and compelling authorities to transfer residents to safer locals.

(With inputs from PTI)