Mirsarai (Chattogram) Correspondent

Three friends have died after being hit by a train in the village of Rupnagar, Ward No. 7 of No. 3 Jorarganj Union in Mirsarai Upazila of Chattogram. 

The three friends worked at Bangladesh Steel Re-Rolling Mills (BSRM) located near their homes. After work, they were sitting and chatting on the railway tracks near their house. At that time, they were hit by a train and died on the spot.

The accident occurred at 8 pm on Thursday in the Madhyam Sonapahar Rupnagar area on the Dhaka-Chattogram route.

According to some of their relatives, the train hit them from behind while they were returning home after their duty at BSRM in the darkness of night. Some others said the three friends were engrossed in playing games on their mobile phones while sitting on the tracks. There is also speculation that they might have been murdered.

The deceased are Arafat Hossain (22), son of Didarul Alam; Anisur Rahman (20), son of Abu Taher; and Riaz Uddin (21), son of Ziaur Rahman. All were residents of Madhyam Sonapahar Rupnagar village in Ward No. 7 of No. 3 Jorarganj Union.

Dr. Ershad Ullah, the on-duty doctor at Mirsarai Upazila Health Complex, said, "Several locals brought the three youths to the hospital. After examinations, we declared them dead." However, he could not confirm whether they died due to being hit by a train.

He further said, “Those who brought them to the hospital did not inform us about what had happened. Although there were injury marks on the bodies, we are not certain if they died due to impact from a train.”

Locals reported that nearly a hundred people came to the hospital. Their family members took the bodies away without collecting death certificates. Police later arrived at the hospital.

Officer-in-Charge of Jorarganj Police Station, Abdul Halim, said, "Upon hearing the news of three people dying after being hit by a train, police were immediately sent to the scene. When they were not found there, police went to the Upazila Health Complex but didn’t find the bodies there either. Later, the bodies were located at the victims' homes. Both GRP police and Jorarganj police were present at the victims' residences."

SM Shahidul Islam, OC of Chattogram Railway Police Station, said, "The three deceased youths worked as assistant drivers (helpers). According to locals, they were chatting on the railway track and did not notice the approaching train. The bodies were handed over to their families that night."