Two first year students of a college were run over by a train near Barasat on Tuesday morning. One of the two had her ears plugged with earphones connected to her mobile phone and hence she failed to hear the approaching train as she was crossing the tracks on her way to the college. The other girl who had safely crossed the
track, returned to save her friend and ended up giving up her life as well. One received head injuries while the other lost her feet in the accident. Both the girls succumbed to their injuries in hospital.
Bidisha Mandal and Paromita Jana, both aged 18, were residents of Atapur in Sandeshkhali. They, along with four other students of Naba Barrackpore Acharya Prafulla Chandra Maha Vidyalaya, were staying in a mess at Bishorepara near Barasat as paying guests.
Like the other days, on Tuesday also, Bidisha and Paromita, both first year Bengali honours students, were on their way to the college. The college and their mess is only a few meters away, with a railway line in between. To save time, the girls usually took a shortcut and used to cross the railway tracks on foot.
“One of the two girls had the ear-phones of her cell phone plugged in her ears. She could not hear the train. The other girl was also injured while trying to save her friend. Both died in the hospital,” said Swapan Giri, teacher-in-charge of the college.
Eyewitnesses recalled that Paromita was crossing the track with her earphones plugged in her ears. Though Bidisha had crossed the tracks, she came back when she spotted that Paromita had no inkling of the approaching train.
Both were hit by the Barasat-bound Ladies Special train.
Bidisha succumbed at the NRS hospital while Paromita died at the SSKM hospital. The families of both the girls arrived in Kolkata after they were informed.