MiD DAY's front-page story yesterday on the maximum number of deaths and injuries due to railway accidents occurring on the Sion to Mulund stretch ('Killer stretch: Sion-Mulund') prompted a citizen journalist to send us this report of a family's hopes and dreams being crushed under the wheels of a train
MiD DAY's front-page story yesterday on the maximum number of deaths and injuries due to railway accidents occurring on the Sion to Mulund stretch ('Killer stretch: Sion-Mulund') prompted a citizen journalist to send us this report of a family's hopes and dreams being crushed under the wheels of a train:
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School bags laden with books hang on the wall of a small room in Rabodi, a cluster of houses in Thane (West).
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The family occupying the room is in a state of unrest, as it has been since February 10, when the sole earning member, Mohammed Raees (33), was killed on the spot after being hit by a local train near Vikhroli station.
According to railway records, Raees was hit by an 'unknown' train at 6.50 pm.
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The train was on a trial run on the fifth track at the station newly laid, ironically, as part of the railway administration's larger efforts to construct a foot-over bridge over the level crossing.
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The efforts themselves were a result of incessant protests by local residents after the crossing witnessed a series of deaths.
"Who is at fault, my brother who had no choice but to cross the tracks, or the railways which had not yet issued warnings for people crossing the track in question since it had not been inaugurated?" asked Raees' cousin Mujeeb Khan.
"The railways informed us that a trial engine on the fifth track hit Raees. But the entire right side of my brother's body was dismembered.
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If the train was at low speed, Raees would have been injured not dead. How can the railways not know the train details and give the family compensation?" he added.
Raees is survived by his son Mabeez (7), daughters Sayma (4) and Tasneem (2) and his wife, Sabeena, who is in an advanced stage of pregnancy.
The other side
"What was Raees doing on the tracks?" asked I Khan, station master, Vikhroli. "We have police constables to man the crossing. They whistle every time the train approaches and warnings against trespassing are issued frequently over loudspeakers. People are negligent and are unwilling to take the foot-over bridge."
"If a person dies due to railway negligence, we are liable to pay compensation. That is if a train collides, derails etc. or if the High court orders us. But, if someone falls while hanging from a train, is hit while trespassing or is electrocuted while travelling atop the train, it is not our responsibility."
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