Men run over by train were taking a shortcut
GHAZIABAD: Seven people who were allegedly run over by a train at Pilkhuwa in Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur district on Sunday were on their way to their homes in Saddiqpura and other nearby localities, and had taken a short route by crossing the tracks as the main road had a traffic jam due to ‘rath yatra’, said a family member of one of the victims.
The accident took place near Saddiqpura late on Sunday night leaving six dead and one grievously injured, said police.
The victims, aged between 16 and 21 years, were from poor families and mostly engaged in daily wage jobs.the victims, Arif, Saleem, Sameer, Vishal, Akash, Vijay and injured Rahul are from Saddiqpura, Mohalla Khatiyan, Sarvodaya Nagar and Arya Nagar localities located near the Ghaziabad-moradabad railway track.
Saleem,18, worked in Hyderabad and had come home a week back and was supposed to return to Hyderabad on Sunday. “Saleem with his friend had gone to board a train from Nizamuddin railway station but they missed it. They were returning home in an autorickshaw but deboarded it half way because the main road had a traffic jam due to rath yatra. They decided to take a shortcut from near Vibhor Cinema. They met five other youngsters who were also heading home from the same route and they decided to take the shortcut together,” said Sarfaraz, Saleem’s brother.
Krishan Karunesh, Hapur district magistrate, however, said that they was a rath yatra but Pilkhuwa had no jams as a result of it.
“There was an RSS event at Meerut and we had ensured jamfree roads in Hapur. There was absolutely no jam in Pilkhuwa on Sunday,” said Karunesh.
Sarfaraz claimed that the young men were hit by a moving locomotive, and gave no horn, and had no lights turned on that could warned the young men. “The boys tried to save themselves from a speeding train which they heard was coming on the other track but were run over by a locomotive,” said Sarfaraz.
Some locals alleged that the boys were wearing earplugs and listening to music. However, Sarfaraz denied the allegation.
“It is not possible that all seven had earphones on.the locomotive was returning from a factory to Pilkhuwa and gave no horn, and had no lights turned on,” Sarfaraz added.
Pawan Kumar, circle officer (Pilkhuwa), however, said the young men were possibly hit by a train and that there were no eyewitnesses.
“Some people said the boys were sitting on the track while others said that they were walking with earphones plugged. But it is just hearsay as there is no eyewitness at the accident site. The only eyewitness, injured Rahul, has not said anything about the boys having earphone plugged in. We only found their body parts scattered on the railway tracks. It was not a locomotive, it was possibly a train which ran them over,” said Pawan Kumar, circle officer (Pilkhuwa).
Karunesh said Rahul was being treated at Dev Nandini Hospital. He also claimed that the boys were hit by a train.
“Rahul suffered injuries to his lungs and two fractures to his leg as he jumped out of the way of the moving train. But he was hit. He did not tell us anything about earphones. He said that they all were walking on tracks and suddenly a train arrived which led to the incident,” he said.
“The government should provide financial help,” said Mohammad Yameen, uncle of victim Sameer. Karunesh added that he is trying that financial aid is given to the victims’ families.