UP tragedy: kids die on tracks

Two minor boys glued to their mobile phones while crossing a railway track were killed after being hit by a train engine near Izzatnagar station of the North Eastern Railway, police said.

Izzatnagar Station House Officer (SHO) Vijendra Singh said the incident took place when the boys—14-year-old Aditya and his 11-year-old friend Pankaj—were crossing the railway track.

“Both boys, residents of Gali No. 8, Izzatnagar, had left home to get a haircut. Aditya was listening to music with earphones plugged in, while Pankaj was using his mobile phone and crossing the railway track,” Singh said.

At the same time, an empty engine that was heading toward Izzatnagar station from Kathgodam approached the spot.

Onlookers near the tracks shouted to alert the boys. The loco pilot also blew the horn repeatedly, but the boys, engrossed in their mobile phones, failed to respond and were hit by the engine.

Both boys died on the spot. Their bodies have been sent for postmortem, the SHO said.