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6 children, driver killed in train-wagon collision

SARGODHA: Six school children and driver were killed and six seriously injured in a train-wagon collision on Saturday morning, near Wilsonpura Railway Station, adjacent to Bhalwal Railway Station, some 37 kilometres from here.

According to details, 12-down Karachi-bound Chenab Express collided with a school wagon (No. 4563) carrying 12 students of Phularwan, when it was passing railway-crosssing some six kilometres from Bhalwal railway station at 7.50 a.m.

The wagon was divided into two pieces. Six children, Zeb daughter of Mohammad Siddique, Naqash son of Mohammad Amir, Adeela daughter of Mohammad Arshad, Ansa daughter of Arshad and Kashif son of Pervez and wagon driver Mohammad Khan died on the spot, while six children, Rizwan son of Mohammad Nazeer, Umar Khan son of Mohammad Safdar, Asad son of Mohammad Arshad, Imran son of Mohammad Afzal, Abid son of Mohammad Shabbir and Rafaqat son of Afzal, were seriously injured. The injured were rushed to hospitals at Bhalwal and Sargodha.

Eye-witnesses said that due to heavy fog and poor visibility the wagon driver could not see the express train and was hit by the train while it was passing the railway-crossing.

The engine went out of order and new engine reached the spot after three hours which brought the train at Bhalwal railway station. APP