2 children run over by Gatimaan express during trial run

Agra: India's fastest semi-high speed train Gatimaan express, during its final trial run on Tuesday, ran over two children killing them on the spot. The train later got delayed for over an hour on account of a major technical snag.

After a successful run of 110 minutes from New Delhi- covering a distance of 194.8 km, the train departed from Agra cantt station at around 10am. While passing Runkuta station, the express ran over two children.

One of the victim has been identified as one 14-year-old Hardesh of Nagla Jaupura village, while the other 9-year-old child's identity is still unknown.

According to senior sub inspector J P Ashok of Sikandra police station, "The bodies of children were immediately removed from tracks by villagers and taken to their relatives' home."

"The high speed train did not stop after the incident, and continued its journey to New Delhi," he added.

On the way to New Delhi, Gatimaan's panto, an iron frame like structure on the locomotive engine, which receives electric energy from overhead line to power the train, broke down three kilometers ahead of Mathura station.

Speaking to HGE NEWS, public relation officer of Agra divisional railway manager office, Bhupinder Dhillon said, "During the trial run, panto of the Gatimaan's engine broke down near Mathura. The train was delayed for nearly an hour, but engineers repaired the part later and train was allowed to continue its journey for New Delhi." Confirming the death of two children during trial run of Gatimaan, Dhillon claimed that, "A probe into both the matters has been ordered by senior officials."

On anonymity, a senior railway official said, "Lack of proper fencing at the 200 km long stretch between New Delhi and Agra was the reason that the railways did not give NOC (No objection certificate) for the high speed operation." "Though there are barbed wire and walls along the track, but it is missing at several patches. Such gaps could be deadly for Gatimaan," he added.