Barauni: Wedding Preparations Turn to Mourning After Railway Employee’s Tragic Death

Barauni: Tragedy struck Barauni Junction on Saturday when Amar Kumar Raut (35), a railway employee, was crushed to death between a parcel van and the engine of a train. His body, wrapped in the tricolor, was brought to Barauni Railway Colony that evening, and cremation was held on Sunday at Ayodhya Ganga Ghat.

The incident has left the family devastated, as Amar was due to get married next month. His mother, Kiran Devi, tearfully recalled that preparations for the wedding, scheduled for December 11, were in full swing. “In a moment, everything was destroyed,” she said, expressing her grief.

Amar had gone to Barauni Junction for his duty around 7:45 a.m. on Saturday. Tragedy struck just an hour later when he was crushed between the engine and the bogie on platform number 5. His body remained trapped for hours before being recovered.

Amar was employed as a traffic porter but, due to a shortage of staff, had been tasked with shunting duties. He was preparing to send the Lucknow-Barauni Express to the washing pit when the accident occurred. The lack of proper staffing and coordination is being blamed for the incident.

Amar’s family has already endured loss in recent years. His father, Rajkumar Ram, a Class IV railway employee, died suddenly of a heart attack in 2018. After his father’s death, Amar secured a job as a traffic porter on compassionate grounds in 2021. Amar, the youngest of three brothers, had recently been engaged, and the family was eagerly awaiting his wedding in December.

His elder brother Deepak, who works in the North-East Frontier Railway (NFR) in Assam, rushed home upon receiving the tragic news. Deepak expressed his frustration with the railway management and questioned the lack of adequate staffing that led to his brother’s death.

The incident has also drawn political attention. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the government of neglecting public safety in the railways. Gandhi posted on social media, questioning, “When will common people be safe, Modi Ji? You are just busy making ‘one’ Adani safe.” He further linked the accident to long-standing recruitment shortages and negligence in Indian Railways.

Following an inquiry, the railway authorities suspended Mohd. Suleman, who was found guilty of negligence in the incident. Amar’s family, however, remains dissatisfied with the investigation, calling for a more thorough probe into the accident.  

Amar’s brothers, Deepak and Shekhar, have called for a high-level investigation into the accident. They allege that a shortage of staff and lack of coordination among the railway workers led to Amar’s death. “Our dreams were shattered in minutes,” said Shekhar, urging the authorities to hold those responsible accountable.

Deepak echoed these sentiments, stating, “This is a conspiracy. The government is responsible for the death. Adequate recruitments for vacant posts must be made. We want justice for our brother.”