A level-crossing gate on the Bandel–Katwa railway line in Hooghly was allegedly left open while a local train approached on Tuesday, prompting the locomotive pilot to sound repeated horns before the gate was lowered, according to a report by Anandabazar. The report said the incident took place at the Somra Kolora railway gate.
Local residents reportedly saw the 37754 Down Katwa–Bandel local train standing some distance before the open gate as they attempted to cross the level crossing. The locomotive pilot was said to have continued sounding the horn. The gatekeeper then came out of the cabin and lowered the barrier, after which the train proceeded.
Residents alleged that the gatekeeper had fallen asleep. The allegation has not been independently confirmed, and the supplied report does not establish whether the gate was open because of human error, an equipment issue, an operational decision or another cause.
The incident reportedly led to a protest by local residents around the gatekeeper. Residents also said they had complained to the station master at Jirat station. The report did not specify whether anyone was injured or whether railway operations were otherwise disrupted.
Eastern Railway public relations officer Shibaram Majhi told Anandabazar, “We will find out what happened.” The statement indicates that the railway authority had not announced a confirmed finding at the time of publication. No disciplinary action or formal inquiry outcome was reported in the supplied material.
The episode has renewed attention on the safety risks at manned level crossings, where road users and trains operate within the same space and the timing of barrier operations is critical. A gate remaining open as a train approaches can expose pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and railway staff to serious danger, although the available account does not establish how close the train was to the crossing or whether any road user entered its path.
The report also referred to an earlier level-crossing accident in Murshidabad on 17 July. A school van entered a level crossing between Karnasubarna station and Gobindapur railway gate and was hit by a train, killing five people, including four students. A gatekeeper was arrested in connection with that incident, according to the report.
The two incidents are separate, and the available information does not establish any connection between them. However, both accounts place the operation of railway crossings and the responsibilities of gatekeepers at the centre of public safety concerns. The Hooghly incident remains subject to the railway’s promised investigation, and the cause of the open gate, the status of the gatekeeper and any official action have yet to be established.
