CUDDALORE: The driver of the school van C Sankar (47) and the student V Viswesh (16), who survived the train-school van accident at the manned level crossing in Semmankuppam on Tuesday morning, denied Southern Railway’s claim that the gate that was closed for the train to pass was opened on the driver’s insistence.

Many residents also denied SR’s “preliminary inquiry”, which said Sankar insisted the gate to be opened to reaching the school on time.

Both Sankar and Viswesh, undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital in Cuddalore, told the TNIE the gate was wide open and the gatekeeper, Pankaj Sharma, was nowhere to be seen when the van was crossing the gate. “The gate was already open. There was no signal or sound indicating that the train was coming,” said Sankar.

A villager, requesting anonymity, said, “The gate was open, and we didn’t see him (Sharma) outside”. The villagers said even the passengers and the railway employees in the train that came to a halt were seen scolding Sharma for leaving the gate open.

Southern Railway’s Tiruchy Divisional Manager MS Anbalagan, who inspected the spot along with other officials to oversee the relief and rescue efforts, told the media there were mistakes on both sides. “The villagers asked the gate to be opened, and the gatekeeper opened it, violating the safety rules,” he said.

The initial statement from SR said Sharma “had proceeded” to close the gate, but opened it on Sankar’s insistence. A release issued later said the gate was in “closed condition” but Sankar coerced him to open it.

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