Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Wednesday said negligence by railway gatekeepers was responsible for the deadly collision between a bus and a train on a level crossing in Cumilla’s Paduar Bazar that left 12 people dead 25 others injured.
Both gatekeepers- Md Helal and Mehedi Hasan- assigned to the level crossing were absent at the time of the accident and fled the scene afterwards, Lt Commander Md Naim Ul Haque, deputy commander of RAB-11, said at a press briefing at the RAB Media Centre in Dhaka.
Members of RAB-11 arrested one of the gatekeepers Md Helal, 41, from Shankuchail area under Burichang upazila in Cumilla around 7:20pm on Tuesday.
He said said Helal is the prime accused in the case filed over the accident.
On March 22, a bus of ‘Mamun Special’ travelling from Jashore to Lakshmipur crashed into a train while crossing the tracks beneath the Paduar Bazar Bishwaroad flyover in Cumilla Sadar South, leaving 12 people dead.
A relative of one of the deceased filed a case with Laksam Railway Police Station naming both gatekeepers as accused.
According to RAB’s preliminary findings, the crossing gate was not lowered in time, leading to the accident.
RAB officials said the arrestee will be handed over to Laksam Railway Police Station while efforts are underway to arrest the other suspect.