RPF saves 3 from fatal mishaps while boarding, deboarding running trains

Kolkata: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Eastern Railway (ER) saved the lives of three people who accidentally fell down while boarding or de-boarding running trains at Howrah, Sealdah and Bally Railway stations on May 23.

At Howrah Railway Station, the RPF officials from Howrah North Post saved the life of a male passenger who fell into the gap between platform and running train Howrah-Arambagh local while trying to board. Similarly, at Sealdah, under ‘Operation Jeevan Raksha’, an RPF official saved another passenger who in a similar attempt to board a running train, slipped and fell. The passenger was trying to board Sealdah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express.

The RPF officials at Bally Post rescued a female passenger who slipped and fell while deboarding from Tarakeswar-Howrah local. The Railway officials have repeatedly warned the passengers of the fatal accidents that rash decisions to board or deboard a running train may lead to. According to a Railway official, it’s a common problem and they have been asking passengers to refrain from doing so as it may lead to a fatal accident.

The Eastern Railway commended the dedication of RPF personnel for their quick action in these situations not only saved lives but also reinforced the driving goal of RPF towards passenger safety. “The ongoing efforts under ‘Operation Jeevan Raksha’ highlight the importance of vigilance and readiness in safeguarding rail users,” ER stated. In 2023, under ‘Jeevan Raksha’ lives of 61 passengers involved in accidents while board or de-boarding, suicide attempts and trespassing incidents were saved by the RPF. According to the data shared by SER, the RPF were able to save the persons in 47 such cases till October this year. Last year, they were able to save 74 people who had slipped and fallen while trying to catch a running train. In the fiscal year, 2022-23, the highest saves were made by the SER amongst all the zonal Railways in India.