Barharwa (Sahibganj): The Radhikapur Express bound for Howrah collided with a sand-laden truck parked on the railway track near Old Ballalpur Railway Station in Farakka under the Malda Railway Division. The collision resulted in damage to two coaches, including the engine, and a subsequent fire on the train. Fortunately, passengers only suffered minor injuries in the incident. The Farakka-Howrah main line faced disruption for approximately 13 hours.
The collision occurred around 1:30 am on Sunday night when a sand-laden truck attempted to cross the railway track through the closed road of Farakkapurana Ballalpur railway line. The truck broke down on the track, and the driver abandoned the vehicle, fleeing the scene. Meanwhile, the Radhikapur Express en route from Farakka to Howrah collided with the stationary sand-laden truck near Old Ballalpur Railway Station. The impact damaged two coaches, including the engine, but fortunately, passengers sustained only minor injuries.
As soon as the authorities were informed, the Farakka Police and Railway Protection Force (RPF) teams reached the scene, evacuated all passengers from the Radhikapur Express, and sent them to Howrah via Gumani and Pakur on another train. Railway officials also joined the relief efforts, using cranes and JCB to remove the sand-loaded truck from the track. The disruption lasted for approximately 13 hours, impacting trains traveling from Farakka to Howrah, such as Kolkata-Agartala Express, Katihar-Hate Bazar, and others, which were rerouted during the period.
