The deceased were identified as Hemant Sahu and Rakesh Padhi, they added.
They were crossing the railway tracks on a motorcycle, but by that time, the gate had already closed, a Government Railway Police (GRP) officer said.
“The pillion rider suddenly got down the motorcycle and moved onto the tracks as the Puri Howrah Express was approaching. The other person immediately ran to rescue him. Both of them were hit by the train, which then dragged them for nearly 100 meters,” he said.
“It looks like suicide. An investigation is underway,” he added.
Railway gatekeeper Niranjan Behera said he doesn’t know who took their motorcycle away.
Police sent the mutilated bodies for post mortem examination.
The incident occurred near the spot where an accident involving three trains happened in June last year, killing over 290 persons and injuring more than 1,000 people.