Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu): Three school students were killed in this district on Tuesday when the van they were travelling in collided with a passenger train, even as different versions of the tragic incident surfaced.

The gatekeeper posted at the level crossing in question has been suspended and arrested, Southern Railway, which apologised for the "unfortunate incident," said.

Around 7.45 am, the school van carrying the students attempted to cross the railway level crossing Gate No. 170 (a non-interlocked manned gate) between Cuddalore and Alappakkam, and was hit by Train No. 56813 Villupuram-Mayiladuthurai passenger, it added.

Due to the impact, the van was flung a distance away from the level crossing. The loco pilot managed to stop the train after traversing some distance, police said. TV visuals showed the mangled remains of the yellow-painted school vehicle.

While the Southern Railway said the level crossing was closed and the van driver insisted it be opened to avoid delay, however, the latter and one of the injured students claimed the gate was open.

"Tragically, 3 students expired and 1 student & driver have been injured and admitted to the Government Hospital, Cuddalore/JIPMER Pondicherry (Puducherry)," a Southern Railway release in Chennai said. One of the injured students succumbed in a hospital.

Among the deceased were a 16-year-old girl of Class XII who died on the spot and her younger brother studying in Plus One who succumbed at the government hospital, police said.

There were four students and the driver in the vehicle when the incident happened.

Cuddalore is located about 190 km from Chennai.

According to Southern Railway, preliminary inquiry revealed that the gate was in a "closed condition when the van arrived."

"However, the van driver insisted to allow the van to cross the gate to avoid delay in reaching the school, which was wrongly permitted by the gatekeeper, violating the rules & protocol. The gatekeeper could not have opened the gate as per the rules. The gatekeeper has been suspended and process has been initiated for his dismissal from service, and FIR has been lodged against him for this criminal negligence, and the gatekeeper has been arrested," it said in the release.

An underpass is already sanctioned by Southern railway on this LC gate with full Railway funding, but permission for it is not being given by the District Collector for the last one year, it claimed.

Meanwhile, both the injured persons--a class XII student and the driver Shankar, claimed the railway gate was open.

The student, who identified himself as Vishwesh, told a TV channel that "neither was the gate closed, nor was there any signal."

"The gate was open, there was no train horn (blaring). So the driver proceeded and suddenly the train came and the accident happened," he said.

The van driver, undergoing treatment, also said the gate was open.

Meanwhile, one person who rushed to the aid of the victims upon witnessing the accident suffered electric shock from a damaged live wire, officials said. He has been hospitalised.

The Railway expressed deep regret for the loss of precious lives and injury to persons, and offered its "apologies for this unfortunate incident".

"The Railway doctors are also monitoring the patients admitted into GH as well as the one injured shifted to JIPMER, Puducherry for treatment. Ex-gratia of Rs 5 Lakh to kin of diseased, Rs 2.5 lakh to kin of grievously injured and Rs 50,000 for other injured persons will be disbursed by Railway today," the release said.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin expressed profound grief over the death of the students and announced a solatium of Rs 5 lakh each to the victims' parents.

A release quoting the Chief Minister said he ordered a compensation of Rs one lakh each to those who were seriously injured and undergoing treatment, and Rs 50,000 each to those who have sustained minor injuries.

A railway relief train with a medical relief van has been dispatched to the site.

The General Manager, Southern Railway, Divisional Railway Manager and senior officers are at the site to supervise the rescue and relief measures. One mast/pole of overhead electric system also got damaged in the process, officials said.

Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi, deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, AIADMK chief and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami and AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran among others expressed anguish over the incident and condoled the death of the students.

Due to the accident at the level crossing between Cuddalore-Alapakam in Tiruchchirappalli division, the railway effected a change in the pattern of train services.

Train No. 56808 Thiruvarur-Mayiladuthurai Passenger scheduled to leave Thiruvarur Junction was short-terminated at Alapakam. Train No. 16232 Mysore Cuddalore Port Express leaving Mysuru junction was short-terminated at Puduchatiram, while Train No. 06190 Tambaram special leaving Tiruchchirappalli Junction was short-terminated at Chidambaram. The train services in the stretch were later resumed.

Cuddalore collector Sibi Adithya Senthil Kumar, who visited the accident site, said a detailed investigation was underway to ascertain the cause of the mishap.

While interacting with the public at Semmankuppam, the Collector informed that the administration has prepared an estimate for constructing a bridge and sent the proposal for approval.