Two 16-year-old boys from Bihar’s West Champaran met a tragic end on Friday, crushed under the wheels of the Amrit Bharat Express while attempting to film a social media reel beside active railway tracks. The double-train scenario amplified the horror of the moment.
Details emerged from the site between Sathi railway station and Gulab Nagar crossing on the Bettiah-Narkatiaganj section, near pillar 234/31. Station Superintendent Santosh Kumar outlined how the Muzaffarpur-bound military train and the oncoming Amrit Bharat Express created a deadly pincer.
‘They stood filming with their phone when trains loomed from both tracks. Overwhelmed, they darted into the express train’s path,’ Kumar explained. Salman Alam of Dharmpur Sathi village and Alamgir Alam of Bhedihari (Purushottampur jurisdiction) had no chance of survival.
The aftermath saw locals converging in dismay, sparking widespread unease. Bettiah’s GRP received prompt notification, with forensic and procedural steps now in motion. Bereaved families took custody of the bodies amid ongoing legal processes.
Emphasizing prevention, Kumar cautioned the public against track proximity during dawn and dusk fog seasons. This sorrowful episode fuels discussions on curbing hazardous trends like trackside reels, urging collaborative efforts from railways, police, and communities to safeguard vulnerable young lives.