Ragpicker gets 10-year jail term for pelting stones at trains

A ragpicker has been sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for pelting stones at trains and injuring passengers in Mumbai.

MUMBAI: The sessions court on Monday sentenced a ragpicker to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for pelting stones at trains, injuring passengers.

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Rakesh Rod, 39, of Haryana, used to collect and sell discarded material from railway tracks. Rod was booked in four cases after he pelted stones at four trains passing through Kurla railway station on July 16, 2019.

At 3:30pm on the day, Rod pelted stones at a CSMT to Kalyan train. A person, identified as Ratnadeep Shiv, who worked in a laundry, was injured in the incident. Shiv said he had gone to Dadar to attend a union meeting at 1pm. When he was heading back, a stone hit Shiv and he was taken to Rajawadi Hospital.

Again, a 17- year-old college student, Rajesh Pawar, was injured at around 3:50pm when his train passed through Kurla. Pawar had boarded the Khopoli fast from Dadar at 3:35pm. Later, Rod pelted stones at CSMT- Asangaon train at 4:35pm, injuring a Titwala resident, Ajay Kahar, 39.

In the fourth incident at 5pm, Rod threw a piece of broken chain used in trucks at the CSMT-Panvel train, injuring a Trombay resident, Tausif Khan, 32.

While three cases were registered with the Kurla railway police, the fourth was registered with the Wadala railway police.

After the fourth complaint, the police searched for Rod on the tracks and caught him. He was identified by the injured victims.

However, public prosecutor Abhijeet Gondwal had contended that the man attacked the trains out of anger.

The court had referred Rod for psychology evaluation to JJ Hospital to check if he had any mental issues. The medical experts had opined that the man was fit to face the trial. Rod was prosecuted in all the cases and convicted.