Railway employee killed after coming in between buffers during shunting of train in Bihar station
Begusarai (Bihar), Nov 9: A railway employee was killed after he was caught between the buffers of the engine and a coach during a shunting operation at Barauni Junction station in Bihar’s Begusarai district on Saturday, officials said.
A buffer is a shock-absorbing device on both ends of a train’s engine and coach, designed to reduce the impact of collisions between bogies.
An official of the East Central Railway said the guidelines for such an operation must have been violated leading to this "unfortunate incident" and an inquiry has been ordered.
The deceased has been identified as Amar Kumar (25), a resident of Samastipur district.
Kumar's family alleged that he died because of the negligence of the railway staff.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident took place when shunting of Lucknow Junction-Barauni Express was on at platform number 5.
Kumar was killed after being sandwiched between the buffers of the engine and a coach.
A video clip of the man's body stuck between the buffers went viral on social media.
Family members of the deceased reached the spot and said they would not allow the authorities to conduct post-mortem examination till action is taken against the erring railway staff.
The matter was resolved after Vivek Bhushan Sood, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Sonpur division, reached the spot and pacified the agitated family members.
Sharswati Chandra, Chief Public Relation Officer (CPRO) of East Central Railway, told PTI that the incident took place at Barauni station in the morning.
"It is a very unfortunate incident and at the same time, a matter of concern. The set guidelines for such an operation must have been violated," Chandra said.
A high-level enquiry has been ordered to find out the reason behind the incident and strict action will be taken against the erring railway employees after completion of the probe, the CPRO said.
⚠️Trigger Warning : Disturbing Visuals.
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) November 9, 2024
A railway porter was killed during a shunting operation at #BarauniJunction in #Bihar's #Begusarai on Saturday. The victim was identified as Amar Kumar Rao, a porter working at the station under the #Sonpur Railway Division.
Mr Rao was… pic.twitter.com/5Kzvqu4AyU
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Govt launches Haj Suvidha App 2.0 for ease of pilgrims
New Delhi, Nov 23: The Minority Affairs Ministry on Saturday launched the Haj Suvidha App 2.0 with the new version introducing key features such as air travel details, a navigation system with Mina maps, and medical history and health advisories for Indian pilgrims going on Haj.
The application was launched by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju after he inaugurated the Conference of Chairpersons of State and UT Haj Committees in the presence of Minister of State for Minority Affairs, George Kurian and Chairman of the Haj Committee of India Abdullahkutti, among others.
In his address, Rijiju noted that the Haj pilgrimage is the largest logistical operation undertaken annually by the government of India beyond its borders.
He emphasised that Haj has long been a cornerstone of the strong bilateral relationship between India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Rijiju highlighted several significant reforms aimed at improving the pilgrimage experience, including the removal of the discretionary quota, the integration of technology through the Haj Suvidha App, and the provision of facilities for female pilgrims without Mehram.
Kurian spoke about the new measures being implemented for Haj 2025, designed to enhance the comfort and convenience of the Indian pilgrims.
Among the key initiatives, he mentioned the procurement of modern buildings with lifts not only in Aziziya but also in nearby areas close to the Haram.
Additionally, the latest model buses will be introduced for travel between Makkah, Madinah, and within the Mashaer region.
The conference, organised by the Haj Committee of India under the Ministry of Minority Affairs, also marked the launch of the Haj Suvidha App 2.0 by Rijiju.
Building on the success of the Haj Suvidha App 1.0 in 2024, the new version introduces key features such as the selection process, boarding pass and air travel details, a navigation system with Mina maps, and medical history and health advisories for Indian pilgrims.
The conference included discussions on stakeholder feedback, suggestions and preparations.
