No gateman was present at Cumilla crossing where 12 died in bus-train collision: RAB

Two on-duty gatemen were absent from the Cumilla
railway crossing during the bus-train collision, which killed 12
people. RAB attributed the accident to negligence.
Speaking at a briefing in Karwan Bazar in the
capital today (25 March), RAB-11 deputy commander Lt Commander Md Naeem Ul
Haque said one gateman has been arrested in the case.
He said Md Helal was arrested from the
Shankuchail area under Burichong police station in Cumilla at 7:20pm yesterday
(24 March) by a RAB-11 team. He is the prime accused in the case filed over the
incident.
The collision took place at 3:10am on 22 March at
a railway crossing under the Padua Bazar Bishwaroad flyover in Sadar South
Model police station area of Cumilla district, when a passenger bus named Mamun
Special, travelling from Jashore to Lakshmipur was crossing the line. Twelve
people were killed and 25 were injured.
The case was filed at Laksam Railway police
station by the aunt of deceased passenger Sohel Rana. Two gatemen of the
crossing were named as accused.
Lt Commander Md Naeem Ul Haque said preliminary
investigation found the accident occurred as the gate was not closed. Both
gatemen, Md Helal and Mehedi Hasan, were absent at the time of the incident.
The process to hand over Md Helal to Laksam
Railway police station is underway, and RAB operations are ongoing to arrest
the other accused, he added.
















