TOBA TEK SINGH: Three members of a family from Faisalabad were killed on Tuesday when a train hit their motorcycle at an unmanned level crossing near Chak 93-JB, some 14km away from Gojra on the Gojra-Faisalabad track.

The accident triggered a protest and the protesters blocked the rail traffic on the track for four hours.

Police and the witnesses said three siblings, Liaqat Ali (35), Asia Bibi (30) and Ihsanul Haq (18), residents of Ghulam Muhammadabad locality ofFaisalabad, were going on a motorcycle to Chak 275-RB Bhalair to attend an Urs. They attempted to cross the level crossing before the Lahorebound Karakoram Express but failed. The train hit the motorcycle and the three died on the spot.

Scores of villagers gathered atthe accidentspotandblocked the track by placing concrete slabs on it in protest against failure of the railways to man the level crossing and install a gate there. The Karakoram Express remained halted for more than four hours while Karachi-bound Pakistan Express, coming from Rawalpindi, was also stopped for two hours at the nearby Pacca Anna Railway Station.

The protesters refused to disperse without assurance by any responsible government official regarding installation of the gate.

They said when six people of a family had died after a train had hit their car at the same place in January, PML-N MNA from Gojra Chaudhry Khalid Javed Warraich had held out an assurance that the staff would be posted at the crossing within two months. But despite a passage of six months, no steps were taken to install the gate and man the level crossing.

The protesters said dozens of people had lost their lives in accidents at the unmanned level crossing during the last few years.

Deputy Commissioner Muazzam Iqbal Sipra and Gojra Deputy Superintendent of Police Azhar Yaqub Gujjar held talks with the protesters and assured them the higher authorities would be apprised of their demand and the level crossing would be manned within a week.

At this, the protesters dispersed and the rail traffic was restored.