Man electrocuted atop CSMT train

Mumbai: A 30-year-old man late Tuesday night was electrocuted, and sustained 50 per cent burns, while travelling atop a CSMT-bound train from Vashi. He was rushed to St. George hospital after 25 minutes, as there was no ambulance available at the station. The delay was also caused by the apathy displayed the railway with no immediate action taken by them or the GRP and the stationmaster of CSMT.

It was only after commuters started raising their voices that the GRP personnel ferried the man to an ambulance, which was parked opposite the divisional office.

Meanwhile, the CSMT Railway Protection Force (RPF) said that it would book a case against the person for rooftop travelling. A GRP official of CSMT said that the man has been identified as Rahul Baharam Gautam, a resident of Koparkhairane. The police were given a memo by the CSMT stationmaster at 11.50 pm.

A senior RPF official said, “We have asked our personnel to check the CCTV footage from where Gautam boarded the train.”  

According to an eyewitness, the incident took place around 11.25 pm. The RPF commandos saw the man lying on the roof of the train they but did not come forward to help him. Even the ambulance, which was stationed at the DRM office by Central Railway, was not equipped with doctors and drivers, which is why people called 108 for an ambulance. Unfortunately, the doctor was not available in the 108 ambulance too.   

A RPF official said that 12 passengers were electrocuted while travelling on rooftop till August 2018.  

Senior public relations officer of CR, Anil Kumar Jain, said, “The power was immediately switched off and he was brought down from the roof and sent to St. George hospital.” Dr Madhukar Gaikwad, medical superintendent of St George Hospital, said, “Rahul has got 50 per cent burns on the face, hands and left lower limb. He has been admitted in the surgery ward and the treatment is going on. We are monitoring his condition.”

So far, 134 people have been electrocuted on all three suburban sections of the Central and Western Railway in last five years.