E-Paper
22 persons have died on railway tracks in 2021
In the last four years, a total of 437 persons have lost their lives on railway tracks in Pune, under the Pune government railway police (GRP) station
In the last four years, a total of 437 persons have lost their lives on railway tracks in Pune, under the Pune government railway police (GRP) station.
This year, till April 20, 22 persons died on the tracks, even amid Covid restrictions.
On April 18, a 57-year-old Army officer of the rank of Brigadier, posted at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune, succumbed to injuries from being crushed under a moving train at the Pune railway station.
The police during a preliminary probe suspect it to be death by suicide.
As per the statistics shared by the railway police, “A total of 207 people died in 2018; 194 in 2019; 124 in 2020; and 22 in 2021 (till April 20). Before lockdown, 250 trains used to ply in the Pune railway division daily. However, from March 25, 2020, till May 2020, railway traffic was closed. Since June 1, 2020, trains started plying again and now about 100 trains are running daily.”
Mishaps have occurred on railway tracks between Pune and Lonavala; Hadapsar and Baramati; and in Pune. According to senior police inspector Suresh Singh Gaud, the jurisdiction of Pune railway police extends from Lonavla station to Daund station
Section 144 of the Railways act states that trespassing on the railway tracks is a punishable offence with imprisonment upto six months, and, or fine upto ₹1000.
Last year while Railways was busy trying to prevent migrant labourers from walking on the tracks in the wake of the Aurangabad incident, 124 died on tracks under Pune railway police jurisdiction.
In May 2020, 16 migrants, who were walking to Bhusawal from Jalna and had fallen asleep on the tracks and were run over by a goods train.
