4 die after being run over by speeding train in Andhra Pradesh; 1 injured: Cops

Four teenagers died and another was critically injured after being run over by the Rajya Rani Express near Ravivalasa in Tekkali mandal of Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district on Wednesday afternoon, police said.

The deceased were identified as Visakha Rao, Dileep, Sharath and Shiva, while Salman Raju sustained serious injuries, police said.

The accident occurred when the victims, all Class 12 students, were crossing the railway track near Burma Colony on their way back to Ravivalasa after catching fish in the pond, police said.

“The Rajya Rani Express, travelling from Bhubaneswar towards Gunupur, hit and ran over them, killing four on the spot,” a police officer from Tekkali police station said.

Local residents who witnessed the incident immediately alerted the authorities and shifted the injured youth to the Tekkali government hospital for treatment.

“The four deceased and the injured person were studying Intermediate (Class 12) and staying at the Government SC/ST Students’ Hostel in Tekkali. All five were natives of Damaru village in Tekkali mandal,” the officer said.

Following the accident, railway officials and police personnel rushed to the scene and launched rescue and relief operations. Tekkali RDO Krishnamurthy also visited the scene and took stock of the situation.

The police examined the bodies and collected preliminary evidence from the scene. They also gathered information from local residents and examined the belongings and other material found near the victims to establish their identities.

“A case has been registered and an investigation is underway to establish the precise circumstances leading to the accident,” officer said.