Siliguri, 01st April: A tragic incident occurred, where a school girl lost her life after being hit by a toy train, while her sister sustained injuries. The incident has led to widespread tension, with local residents staging a protest at the Kurseong Railway Station. The role of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) has come under scrutiny following the accident.
As per police sources, the deceased has been identified as Roshni Rai (15), a resident of the Makaibari area in Kurseong and a student of standard IX. Her elder sister, Pratiksha Rai (19), was injured in the accident. The mishap took place on Monday morning when the sisters had gone to buy medicine. While crossing the railway line near the market, they were allegedly hit by a toy train from behind.
After the incident, local and traffic police promptly rescued them and took them to Kurseong Sadar Hospital. After receiving treatment, Pratiksha was discharged, whereas Roshni, in critical condition, was shifted to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH).
Later, she was referred to a nursing home in Siliguri, where she succumbed to her injuries late at night. Roshni’s family accused the railway authorities of negligence, with her brother Vivek Sharma questioning, “Why did the loco pilot not apply the brakes? Why did he not blow the whistle? We want justice so that such incidents do not happen in the future.”
However, DHR director Rishab Choudhary denied allegations of negligence, stating that both girls were walking on the railway tracks with headphones in their ears, which prevented them from hearing the whistle despite multiple warnings. He also emphasized that while the toy train is slow, it is still a machine that operates under set protocols.
On Tuesday, local residents intensified their protest at Kurseong Railway Station, placing a picture of Roshni Rai at the site. Later, GTA Chief Executive Anit Thapa and Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha activists joined the demonstration, accusing railway authorities of negligence and demanding strict action against the toy train driver.
