Woman, child fatally struck by train in Gazipur

A woman and her child were fatally run over by a train in Gazipur's Sreepur yesterday morning (3 April).

The incident took place near the south outer signal of Rajendrapur railway station on the Dhaka-Mymensingh rail line.

The deceased were Miti Rani Das, 39 and her three-year-old son Rudra Das.

According to locals and police, Miti Rani was seen sitting beside the railway tracks with her child near the Rajendrapur Cantonment area in the morning. 

When the Teesta Express, travelling from Dhaka, approached, she reportedly suddenly took the child in her arms and went under the moving train.

Miti died on the spot. Rudra was rescued in critical condition and taken to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital, where he died later in the afternoon.

Taharina Saffat Zerin, a reserved female member of Rajabari union parishad, said family members informed her that Miti left home after the argument and later took the "fatal step."

Police had initially said the identities of the victims were not immediately known. Later in the evening, the Police Bureau of Investigation identified them through fingerprint analysis.

Joydebpur Railway Police Outpost Sub-Inspector Kaiyum Ali said police recovered the bodies after receiving information. 

He added that an investigation is underway to determine whether it was an accident or intentional, and legal procedures are in process following identification by the PBI.

Residents and local representatives said there had been an argument earlier in the day between Miti and her brother-in-law Pran Krishna over what they described as a trivial issue. 

According to them, she may have taken the step out of distress following the dispute. 

Her husband could not be reached for comment as his phone has been found switched off since the incident.