Tragedy averted, as RPF men save 3 schoolkids crossing tracks in Byculla

A major accident was averted as three Class 8 students from Hume School, Byculla, who were crossing the railway tracks at 10.20am on Monday at Byculla railway station were saved by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials. The students were walking on the tracks but jumped to the safety of Platform 1 on being warned by a constable, Yogesh, as a local train was approaching.

According to railway police authorities, the three students, Abdul Mannan, 12, from Dongri, Mohammad Zaid Usman Ginni, 13, from Hindustani Masjid, Byculla and Mohammad Anas MD Islam, 13, from Madanpura, bunked classes on Monday morning. The kids were in school uniforms and wanted to buy eatables from the railway food stall.

When Yogesh noticed the schoolboys running towards Platform 1, he immediately shouted out to them. Hearing his frantic call, two students clambered on to Platform 1, followed by their friend, immediatley after which the local train arrived. The students were in a state of panic as they reached the platform, Yogesh said.

The trio was then attended to by Senior Inspector Amit Kumar, who informed the school authorities and the boys’ parents about the incident. Kumar said, “The school needs to increase safety and security measures. Students left the school campus midway during school hours. It is the responsibility of the school to keep a check on the whereabouts and activities of students during school hours.”

The authorities stated they would check which route the students had taken, as the school has two gates. Pravin Tribhuvan, principal of Hume School, said, “We do not know the route which the students took to reach the railway tracks, as the school is very close to the station. We will check the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to ascertain how the students escaped from school.”