Bengal: 7 Injured In Minor Stampede At Bardhaman Station; TMC MLA Blames Railways

Kolkata: At least seven people were injured in a stampede at Bardhaman Station in West Bengal when a huge crowd rushed to catch a train on Sunday evening.

The incident took place when an unprecedented crowd of travellers attempted to board the three trains -- Burdwan-Howrah local on platform 4, Rampurhat local on platform 6, and Asansol local on platform 7. As passengers hurried down the stairs, they jostled and some fell, leading to a minor stampede.

The railway rescue team arrived in time, helped the injured, and transported them to Burdwan Medical College Hospital. Hospital sources confirmed X-rays and CT scans were conducted for the injured.

"Seven people are admitted to Burdhman Medical College Hospital. Their condition is stable. They have suffered minor injuries. However, one of them has a broken leg. He has been operated on. The rest have undergone X-rays and CT scans. Although nothing was found in the report, they have been kept under observation," said Hospital Superintendent Dr Tapas Ghosh.

While passengers claimed the accident may have resulted from the Railways' mismanagement, Burdwan South MLA Das said the infrastructure "requires improvement".

"The stairs are not sufficiently wide. As a result, increased crowds can cause congestion. The railway authorities appear not to address these concerns, which can contribute to accidents occurring periodically. Seven people have been injured in this incident and are receiving treatment," he said.

"Earlier, passengers died when a water tank broke on the platform. But even then, the central government is not providing any services. The common man is no longer safe while travelling by train. A major accident could have happened today. I will inform the railway authorities about the matter," the MLA said.

The railway authorities said they are investigating the matter. In December 2023, a water tank between platforms 2 and 3 of Burdwan station collapsed, pouring water onto the platform and sweeping some people onto the railway tracks. Three people died and 34 were injured.

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