Newlyweds run over and killed by train 'while taking selfie' on rail tracks in Uttara

"They were holding hands while taking selfies on the tracks," a witness says

A newlywed couple have been run over and killed by a train “while taking a selfie” on a railway line in the Uttara Kotbari area of Dhaka.

The accident took place around 6pm on Saturday when the couple was struck by the Jamuna Express, which had departed from Dhaka, Railway Police Station chief (OC) Zainal Abedin confirmed.

The victims were identified as Masum Mia, 21, from Netrokona and his wife Iti Khatun, 19, from Mymensingh.

The OC, citing the victims’ relatives, said Masum and Iti married on Apr 17 and had recently moved into a rented home in the Tongi-Abdullahpur area to work in garment factories.

“They were passing between the rail gate No. 8 and Kotbari when they stopped to take selfies on the tracks and were hit due to carelessness”, he added.

The officer noted that the process of handing over the two bodies to their families without a post-mortem examination is under way following requests from their relatives.

Al Islam, a passer-by who witnessed the scene, said: "They were holding hands while taking selfies on the rail line.

“A train was heading to Kamalapur, but at the same time, another train from Tongi was approaching. They didn’t notice it.”

“The Tongi-bound train hit them. The girl died on the spot. Her husband was first taken to a local hospital, then to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he was declared dead around 8:30pm,” he added.