Agartala/Guwahati: Three people were killed on Thursday after a mini truck collided with an express train at an unauthorised railway crossing in Tripura’s Dhalai district, officials said.
According to Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, the accident occurred in the Ambasa–Manu hilly section when the Agartala–Silchar Express was en route and a goods-laden truck suddenly drove onto the tracks.
The train hit the vehicle head-on, killing the driver and two others travelling with him.
The track was later cleared, allowing the train to continue its journey.
Sharma said the tragedy took place at an unauthorised crossing that railway authorities have repeatedly attempted to close, but local resistance prevented action.
Officials from Agartala had last visited the area on October 5 to seal the crossing but were unsuccessful.
Urging the public to stay away from rail tracks, NFR warned that trespassing and illegal crossings pose grave risks and are punishable under the Indian Railways Act.
Police identified the victims as Pramesh Debbarma (23), Bupendra Debbarma (55) and Bina Debbarma (27).
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All three died on the spot. Fire and Emergency Service personnel retrieved the bodies and sent them for post-mortem.
The incident comes weeks after another near-disaster on October 5, when a Dharmanagar–Agartala DEMU train struck a mini truck stuck on the tracks in the same section.
The impact threw the vehicle off the line, but no injuries were reported.
Officials said Thursday’s crash is among the most serious railway accidents reported in Tripura in recent times.
