IAS Gagan Bihari Swain died

In a shocking incident, Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and oriya writer Gagan Bihari Swain died after being hit by Puri-Howrah passenger train at Bhubaneswar railway station on Monday. The government railway police (GRP), quoting the train’s driver, told mediapersons that Swain committed suicide by jumping before the train at platform no-3.

Swain, a former district collector of Sonepur, was serving as Additional Secretary in the Planning and Coordination (P&C) Department of the Odisha State Government.

Preliminary reports from the Government Railway Police (GRP) said, he allegedly hurled himself in front of the train. A case of unnatural death has been lodged and investigation is underway. The incident took place at about 5.30 pm. Swain, who was at platform no 3 came in front of the Howrah-Puri Passenger which resulted in serious head injury causing his death.

Swain’s death came as a shock to his family, which was busy making preparations for his son’s marriage on June 30. Swain, who stayed with his family in Pokhariput area here, was scheduled to go to his hometown Balangir in the evening. He went to his office in the day and distributed wedding invitation cards among his colleagues.

Police said they did not find any train ticket with Swain. “He was not carrying any luggage. We only found his voter identity card and mobile phone from his pocket. His phone was badly damaged,” the railway inspector said.

Police said they would scan the call details of his phone to get some clue.