Chocolate promise ends in tragedy, two killed at railway crossing in UP's Gorakhpur

Gorakhpur (UP), Dec 15 (PTI) What began as an evening walk to the market ended in tragedy at a railway crossing in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur, where a woman and two young girls were run over by a moving train, killing two and leaving one critically injured, police said on Monday.

According to police, eight-year-old Shria was playing outside her home with her friend Mithi (7) on Sunday evening, when their neighbour Savita Yadav (32) stepped out to go to the Durgabari market. Savita asked Shria to accompany her, promising chocolate. Mithi insisted on coming along.

Barely 500 metres from their homes, the trio reached the Durgabari railway crossing, which has been closed due to the construction of the Gorakhnath overbridge. Despite the closure, pedestrians routinely cross the tracks from below.

Police said after a goods train passed on one track, Savita and the girls moved to the adjacent track, assuming it was safe. At that moment, the Moradabad-Jammu Tawi Express (14691) approached at high speed and struck them.

Savita and Shria were declared dead on arrival at the district hospital, while Mithi sustained critical injuries and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital, they said.

The incident plunged Humayunpur North Yadav Tola into mourning, with two funeral pyres set to rise from the same lane.

Kotwali police station in-charge Chhatrapal Singh said the bodies have been sent for post-mortem, and that the injured child remains under treatment. PTI COR KIS AKY