Samastipur: Bihar witnessed two tragic incidents on Thursday, leaving three families in mourning and reigniting anger over gaps in rail and road safety. A schoolteacher returning from election duty was struck and killed by the Vande Bharat Express in Samastipur, while two young men died in a violent road collision in Banka.
Teacher Returning from Election Duty Killed by Vande Bharat
The first accident occurred on the Samastipur–Khagaria railway section, where Ramsewak Baitha, a 55-year-old schoolteacher from Shankarpur village, was hit by the speeding Vande Bharat Express near Singhia Ghat railway station.
Baitha, posted at the Hasanpur Bargaon Middle School, had been assigned election duty in Mohiuddin Nagar during the ongoing assembly polls. After depositing the EVMs on Thursday night, he visited an acquaintance and later headed to the station to catch a train home.
Police said Baitha had parked his motorcycle near a railway crossing and was walking towards the platform when the train struck him from behind. The impact was so severe that he died on the spot.
Railway and local police identified the body using his election duty ID card. The remains were sent for postmortem, and an inquiry has been initiated. Officers described it as a case of “accidental run-over”.
Two Youths Die in Road Crash in Banka
In a separate incident in Banka’s Punjwara police station area, two young men — Santosh Yadav and Sonu Kumar Yadav from Ramkol — were killed instantly after their motorcycle was hit by a speeding pickup van on the Dhoriya–Punjwara main road.
The collision shattered the motorcycle into several pieces and badly damaged the van’s front end. The driver fled the scene, abandoning the vehicle. Police have seized the van and launched a search for the absconding driver.
The deaths sparked protests, with residents blocking the road and demanding immediate action.
Rising Anger Over Safety Failures
The twin fatalities have revived questions over safety preparedness in Bihar. Residents near Singhia Ghat say the station area lacks proper fencing, lighting and warning systems, leading to frequent rail accidents. In Banka, locals have demanded speed breakers and stricter traffic enforcement on accident-prone stretches.
Villages in Mourning
News of Baitha’s death cast a pall over Shankarpur, where villagers said he was well-respected and deeply involved in community life. In Ramkol, families and neighbours of Santosh and Sonu gathered in grief, calling for swift punishment for the driver.
Police in both districts have begun formal investigations. Postmortem procedures are under way, and bodies will be handed over to families for last rites.
