On Sunday afternoon, two first-year nursing students from Kerala were killed after reportedly being hit by a Vande Bharat Express train near Bengaluru. According to the Government Railway Police, Karnataka, the incident occurred at 2:35 pm near the Chikkabanavara railway station.
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Victims identified
The Karnataka Government Railway Police identified the deceased as Sterlin Eliza Shaji, 19, and Justin Joseph, 20, from Pathanamthitta district in Kerala. They were students of Sapthagiri College and reportedly resided in a paying guest accommodation near the railway station.
According to police, the students were crossing the tracks while heading towards their accommodation when they were hit by the Belagavi-bound Vande Bharat Express that was coming from Bengaluru. The impact was severe; both students died on the spot, and their bodies were found in a dismembered state on the tracks.
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Investigation underway
As per the reports, the authorities are scanning the CCTV footage of the area to ascertain the exact cause of the deaths, whether it was an accident or intentional. An Unnatural Death Report (UDR) has been registered at Bengaluru Rural Railway Police Station, and further investigation is going on. Commuters and residents staying near railway lines were requested by police to be very careful, with calls to follow safety protocols.
