2 workers on way home amid lockdown stop to eat on tracks. Train runs over them

Police said the incident took place between Udalkachhar and Darritola railway stations under Koriya district.

Updated on: Apr 21, 2020, 19:19:27 IST

Hindustan Times, Raipur | By Ritesh Mishra

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Two labourers, who had sat down to have breakfast on a railway track, were run over by an incoming freight train at around 8am on Tuesday in Chhattisgarh’s Koriya district. The victims were walking back to their native villages in Surajpur district amid the ongoing nationwide lockdown enforced to contain the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel expressed grief over the workers’ death and instructed the district authorities to provide necessary assistance to the family members of the deceased. (Pradeep Gaur/ Mint)

Police said the incident took place between Udalkachhar and Darritola railway stations under Koriya district.

City superintendent of police (CSP), Manendragarh, Karn Kumar Uike, said that the victims, Kaleshwar Rajwade (21) and Gulab Rajwade (20) along with two other workers started walking from Pendra-Marwahi-Gaurela district on Monday for their native villages in Surajpur district, located around 130km from Pendra, along the railway tracks.

“The workers decided to walk along the railway track, as no transport service was available due to the ongoing lockdown. They walked through Monday night and reached a spot between Udalkachhar and Darritola stations on the Anuppur-Ambikapur rail route, located around 80km from Pendra. The victims were eating their breakfast on the railway track, while the other two workers had gone to fetch water. The victims didn’t see the incoming freight train because of a curve on the track. They were run over at around 8am on Tuesday,” said CSP Uike.

The other two workers informed the police and later the victims’ bodies were sent for post-mortem examination.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel expressed grief over the workers’ death and instructed the district authorities to provide necessary assistance to the family members of the deceased.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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