The mangled school van after it collided with a passenger train at the Semmankuppam railway srossing. File
| Photo Credit: M. Samraj
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Chairman of the Railway Board, the Union Ministry of Railways, the Tamil Nadu government’s Chief Secretary, as well as the Director-General of Police over the recent train accident in Cuddalore district, which claimed the lives of three schoolchildren.
The Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report stating a passenger train collided with a school van at a level crossing in Cuddalore, killing three children and injuring several others on July 8. “Reportedly, the gate was open at the level crossing, and a train was passing through when the incident occurred,” an official release from the NHRC said.
The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of human rights. Besides issuing notices to authorities for a detailed report within two weeks, it also sought details on the present health status of the persons who sustained injuries in the incident.
“According to the media report, carried on July 9, 2025, an underpass was sanctioned by the Southern Railway in place of this level crossing, but permission for it has not been given by the District Collector for the past one year,” it said.
Published – July 17, 2025 01:53 pm IST
