A tragic incident occurred on Monday in Daltonganj, Jharkhand, where a 66-year-old woman lost her life while attempting to cross railway tracks by crawling beneath a stationary freight train. The train, comprising 116 wagons, suddenly started moving, crushing her beneath the wheels.
Details of the Incident
The mishap took place around 9:20 am between Daltonganj and Chiyanki railway stations. The victim was identified as Sumitra Devi, a resident of Sua Jama Tola. According to Railway Protection Force (RPF) official B P Singh, she was trying to cross under one of the wagons when the train unexpectedly began moving.
Daltonganj railway station superintendent Umesh Kumar stated, "The engine of the long-haul empty goods train started moving, giving no chance to this woman to come out or to survive." The train was headed to Barwadeeh for its onward journey.
Repeated Warnings Ignored
A railway official reiterated the dangers of crossing beneath trains, emphasizing that such actions are always hazardous. "We always ask people not to crawl beneath the wagons of trains as it is always dangerous," the official said. He added that haste often proves fatal, as people ignore repeated warnings. "A stationary train can proceed without any hint of the start to the person who is so crawling beneath the wagon," he noted.
Postmortem and Investigation
Following the incident, the RPF and Government Railway Police sent the body to Medinirai Medical College and Hospital in Daltonganj for a postmortem examination. Authorities are investigating the matter to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of adhering to railway safety protocols. Crossing tracks at designated points and avoiding risky behavior near trains can save lives.
