A video showing a train guard stopping a train to manually open a railway gate in Bihar's Siwan district has gone viral, igniting discussions on social media about railway safety and operational protocols. This incident comes at a time when the Ministry of Railways is already under scrutiny due to recent train accidents across the country.
About the viral video
The video, shared widely on social media since August 1, shows a local reporter standing by a closed railway crossing gate as a train passes. Moments later, the train halts a few meters past the crossing, and a man, identified as the train guard, steps down, walks back to the gate, and opens it to allow waiting vehicles through. He then returns to the train, and it resumes its journey.
'Video receives backlash'
The incident has led to significant criticism and calls for accountability. One user demanded immediate action, stating, “Ashwini should resign with immediate effect!!” Another added, “This is the development of the ‘reel minister’, this is his hard work. If he is becoming a squirrel in building India, then this will happen.”
Meanwhile, responding to the controversy, Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) officer J Sanjay Kumar clarified on X, explaining that unmanned gates have been abolished for safety reasons. He stated that in areas with few trains, mobile gatemen accompany the train, with one closing the gate ahead and another opening it behind. He noted that the individual in the video was not a guard, who would typically wear a white uniform.
Despite this explanation, the man in the video, dressed differently, identified himself as a guard when approached by the reporter.
Moreover. the incident follows a series of railway mishaps, including a recent derailment of the Mumbai-Howrah Mail in Jharkhand, which resulted in two fatalities and multiple injuries.
