Train crushes man drinking on tracks in Ludhiana

‘FRIEND INJURED’ Two others ran to safety on seeing the Kolkata-Amritsar Durgiana Express approaching them near Dholewal Chowk around 2pm

A man consuming liquor while sitting on the railway tracks was crushed under a train, while his friend was injured, near Dholewal Chowk on Wednesday afternoon.

was also stalled for 15 minutes while the body was removed from the tracks. (Harsimar Pal Singh/HT)

Police said they had yet to identify the deceased. His injured friend is Sunil, hailing from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, and currently residing in Basti Jodhewal. He was admitted to the Ludhiana civil hospital, where he remains unconscious.

Police said according to onlookers, four men were sitting on the railway tracks and consuming liquor around 2pm. On seeing the Kolkata-Amritsar Durgiana Express (12357) approaching, three of them ran away, while Sunil kept sitting.

“The man, who died, rushed back to save Sunil with the train only a few metres away. As he pulled Sunil to safety, he himself got hit by the train and was run over,” said Himanshu, who witnessed the mishap. As Sunil fell on the stones next to the tracks, he sustained multiple injuries on the head and right arm.

Vipin Kumar, station superintendent, Block Hut, Dholewal, said the accident caused the Durgiana Express to halt for six minutes. Later, the Durg-Jammu Tawi Superfast Express (12549), which arrived around 2.58pm, on its way to the Ludhiana railway station, was also stalled for 15 minutes until the Government Railway Police (GRP) lifted the body from the tracks.

Sub-inspector Balvir Singh, SHO, GRP police station, said according to preliminary investigation, four men were consuming alcohol while sitting on the tracks. Two of them managed to escape, while one died and another suffered injuries. “We have initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Further action will be taken after recording Sunil’s statement,” he added.

The body has been moved to the Ludhiana civil hospital mortuary, where it will be kept for 72 hours for identification, before an autopsy is conducted.

The incident comes less than a week after two persons, including a woman, were run over by the New Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi at the Giaspura level crossing on February 29.

In the past two months this year, 82 people have been booked under Section 147 of the Railways Act for trespassing railway tracks.