Gondia: It’s a common occurrence for people seeing off their loved ones at train stations to board the train briefly, helping with luggage, without realizing that the train’s stop is only for a few minutes and it could depart at any moment. Similarly, passengers sometimes remain seated in a train coach even after arriving at their destination, unaware that their station has already come.
A similar incident occurred on the afternoon of Friday, August 23, at Gondia Junction.
Train number 22894, Howrah-Sai Nagar (Shirdi Express), arrived at platform number 3 at 2:15 PM and was scheduled to depart at 2:18 PM after a brief three-minute stop. As the train began to depart, a passenger in the AC B-5 coach attempted to hurriedly disembark. The train had already picked up speed, and in his haste, the passenger lost his balance and fell face-first onto the platform. He was on the verge of slipping into the gap between the train and the platform when RPF constable Jaya Uke, who was on duty, noticed the incident. Head constable M.K. Waghe and assistant sub-inspector Ajay Chaubey, who were stationed nearby, immediately rushed to the scene and pulled the passenger to safety. Thanks to their quick response, the passenger, identified as Pradeep Sinha, was saved from what could have been a tragic accident.
Curtains on AC Coach Windows Obstructed View of Arrival
Upon further inquiry, it was revealed that Pradeep Sinha, who was seated in the AC B-5 coach on seat number 46, did not realize that his destination, Gondia, had arrived because the curtains on the glass windows of the AC coach obstructed his view. It was only when the train started moving again that he realized he had missed his stop. In a panic, he attempted to jump off the moving train, but fortunately, the alert railway personnel were there to save him.
The entire incident was captured on CCTV cameras at platform number 3 of Gondia station. The swift and efficient actions of the railway staff have been widely praised for saving a passenger’s life.
Ravi Arya