5 dead after train collides with school van in Murshidabad, West Bengal; 4 children among the dead

People gather near the wreckage of a school van that was hit by a train at a level crossing near Karna Subarna railway station in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, Friday, July 17, 2026. | Photo credit: PTI

A train collided with a school van in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Friday (July 17, 2026), killing at least five people, including children. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the porter had been arrested, while opposition leaders wondered whether systematic failure had caused the accident.

Hundreds of people gathered at the level crossing where the accident occurred to rescue the victims and survivors. The accident reportedly happened around seven o’clock in the morning

Three people died on the spot, including two children, while two other students died during treatment after being taken to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital. The van driver, who was injured in the accident, is also fighting for his life.

There were reportedly eight people in the school van, four others are still fighting for their lives in the hospital. One local man outside the vehicle, who was also at the level crossing, was struck by the train and died at the scene.

In the morning, a 10-member track team arrived at the site. The arrested doorman was taken for a medical examination to determine whether he was drunk.

He tried to cross the tracks

The accident took place at a level crossing near Karna Subarna railway station in Murshidabad in Behrampur area. The van was reportedly trying to cross a level crossing when the train ran into it.

“One train passed by and the porter opened the gates. Some cars and people started crossing, but at that moment another train was coming at a high speed. Why didn’t the porter know that another scheduled train was coming?” a family member of the injured person told the media.

Thorough probe: CM ass

Mr. Adhikari expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and said that a thorough investigation would be initiated in the matter.

“We are ensuring that those undergoing treatment are given the best medical care. Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee is personally ensuring that the injured receive the best possible treatment at the medical college. Negligence will not be tolerated,” Mr Adhikari wrote on his social media account.

The Chief Minister also told the media that he was in touch with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and informed him about the accident. Mr. Adhikari added that the incident was due to “human error” which cannot be excused and was not an “accident”. He said that the initial investigation showed that the porter was the main person responsible for the accident.

The railways announced a compensation of ₹10 million to the family of the deceased and ₹2.5 million to each of the injured.

Systematic Failure: The Opposition

Meanwhile, opposition leaders have launched an attack on the issue of railway safety, accusing the administration of systematic failure leading to repeated accidents.

Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also expressed condolences to the families of the victims and asked if the deaths were due to negligence.

“The people of Bengal deserve a government that protects lives, not the repeated failure of the much touted ‘Twin Engine Government’ which has turned out to be nothing less than a DOUBLE ENGINE DISASTER,” Mr Banerjee wrote in a social media post.

Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury visited the accident site and spoke to local residents. “The main person behind this is the porter. He opened the gates without any security measures…In India, we see bullet trains, but basic security is at risk,” said the former Behrampur MP, adding that it was a matter of railway safety and called for a proper investigation.

Mr. Chowdhury, who was also the Minister of State for Railways during his tenure as an MP during the UPA regime, also questioned whether the porter was not properly trained or was a casual worker. He also accused the porter of being drunk. This was an allegation also echoed by Trinamool leader and MLA Kunal Ghosh.

Published – 17 Jul 2026 10:25 IST