INDIA, Nov 12, (Agencies): In a heart-wrenching incident in the Sachendi area of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, two young lives were cut short as a train struck them while they were engrossed in watching the Cricket World Cup match between Afghanistan and South Africa on their mobile phones. The victims, identified as 18-year-old Ashish Kumar and 20-year-old Subhash Kumar, met their untimely demise on a Friday evening.

The preliminary investigation conducted by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Tej Bahadur Singh revealed the devastating circumstances. The cousins were sitting on the railway tracks, completely absorbed in the cricket match, with earphones on, oblivious to the approaching train's honking. Eyewitness accounts supported the fact that they were positioned on the tracks when the tragic incident unfolded.

Ashish, employed in a private firm, and Subhash, both aspirants for Army recruitment examinations, had ventured to the fields near the railway line that belonged to Ashish's father, Binda Prasad, and his maternal uncle Rajesh, a farmer. The ill-fated incident occurred about 500 meters from their homes as they were returning from the fields.

Eyewitnesses reported that the cousins were run over by a medical relief train. Binda Prasad works in a private firm in Haryana, and Subhash was the son of Ashish’s maternal uncle Rajesh. The community is now grappling with grief, mourning the loss of these two young lives in this unfortunate accident. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and safety awareness, especially in proximity to railway tracks.