Eleven railway passengers suffered injuries in a stampede and some of them fell on the platform from the staircase of an overbridge at the Burdwan junction railway station today.
They were shifted to a hospital. Officers from the Burdwan police station joined the rescue work with the GRP and the RPF after the mishap occurred. The railway authorities shifted the injured passengers to the Burdwan Medical College & Hospital where three were discharged after primary treatment.
The Railway officials, including the senior manager of the station, Mr Swapan Dutta, also rushed to the Burdwan Medical College & Hospital to take stock of the condition of the injured.
One arm of the paired stairs linking platform Nos – 4 & 5 remained blocked as installation of escalators was going on for long and a single arm was left open for the conveyance of the passengers using the two platforms. Trouble began today when the Down Poorva Express arrived at the platform No 5 at 3: 14 p.m. while an EMU for Purulia was placed at the platform No 4 at 3:10 pm from the car-shed, which was scheduled to leave the platforms at 3:25 p.m.
The passengers of the Purulia local started rushing towards the train even as the passengers were getting down from the Poorva Express.
Both sets of passengers had to use the same single staircase, resulting in massive crowding and a chaotic situation. During this, one passenger felt uneasy and fell on the stair’s steps, and was nearly trampled. In the subsequent commotion, several passengers were seen falling on the platform.
The GRP and the RPF officials were pressed into action but they failed to control the crowd due to the huge rush, the officials said.
Some passengers alleged that delayed announcement about the Up local train caused the debacle.
Mr Swapan Adhikari, senior station manager of the station, said: “The Purulia local was placed at the platform at due time but probably some passengers did not hear the announcement. When they saw the train, they started rushing it and it caused the stampede.”