RailEnquiry

In a display of exemplary courage, a young commuter risked his life to save an injured passenger on the tracks at Thane station seconds before a local would have run him over Monday night. Close to 150 passengers, Government Railway Police (GRP) and station authorities witnessed the act of bravery. Rohit Anil Surve, 19, saved a man who allegedly attempted suicide by jumping in front of a Kalyan local at 11.28 pm.Though Surve saved him from being run over, the injured passenger died later at Thane Civil Hospital, police said. The identity of the deceased is yet to be determined, police said. Surve is a resident of Dadar.Manoj Chopra (31), witnessed the incident from platform three. "I could not muster the courage to jump on the tracks as the train was nearing. The young man should be rewarded for the grit he displayed," he said.At 11.28 pm, the unidentified man allegedly jumped from platform number two in front of a Kalyan slow train and suffered serious head injuries. Since he was alive, commuters created an uproar and the station master and GRP rushed to the spot. However, instead of rescuing the man, Chopra alleged the police made phone calls asking for help. Meanwhile, a slow train to Ambernath was arriving on platform two at 11.31 pm. Onlookers waved to the motorman to halt the train, but it was too late.

Chopra, who lost his father in a train accident at Sandhurst Road in September 2012, said, "Since it was pitch dark, the motorman did not see the crowd waving at him. However, when the train drew closer, the motorman tried to halt when he noticed the commotion. At that moment, this young man standing next to me jumped off the platform, leapt over the track divider and picked up the injured man. He was seconds away from being run over himself."Surve then waited between the train and track divider till the train passed. Surve is an electronic engineering student at Ambedkar College in Wadala.

"I saw civilians as well as cops there just looking at the injured man. While everyone kept saying the man should be picked up, no one came forward. I saw the train approaching and decided to save him. If I had been a second late, I would have died," he said.

Chopra alleged, "The police and station authorities only stepped in after the train passed by."

"I feel police are apathetic towards passengers. It was a civilian who risked his life," said Chopra, who has filed a complaint against railway police and station authorities.

When asked about the alleged negligence of Thane railway police, M P Pawar, ACP (Kalyan Division) said he would look into the matter.