Passengers at the Egmore station in Chennai witnessed a heart stopping scene on Sunday evening. A man, clearly in a hurry, tried to board the Dadar Express even as it had started moving.
And it could have been the last journey this man took if it was not for RPF constable K Shanmugham. For as soon as the man stepped onto the train, his hand slipped from the handle on the door, causing him to lose balance and fall.
He hung precariously from the train, with his legs stuck in the narrow gap between the train's floor and the train track, even as he tried to pull himself up.
But lucky for the man, constable Shanmugham saw the dangerous scene unfolding and ran to help him, without a regard for his own safety. For a few tense seconds, the man and Shanmugham struggled, with the latter attempting to pull the man's lower torso free from under the moving train.
Fortunately, due to Shanmugham's presence of mind and efforts, the man was finally pulled free.
Watch the video here:
Speaking to TNM Shanmugham humbly stated that he was merely doing his duty. “The only thought I had at the time was to save him somehow,” he said.
He added that while he has helped many people previously, only this particular incident had come to light because of the CCTV footage. He also rues the danger many passengers put themselves in by trying to board a train in hurry.
“Nowadays, a lot of people reach the station at the last moment. They should come at least half an hour or an hour before so that such incidents don’t happen,” he urged.
K Shanmugham (extreme left)
Shanmugham will also be nominated for the annual bravery award for his feat. Senior officials like Louis Amuthan, Senior Divisional Security Commissioner, RPF Chennai Division, were also appreciative of his efforts. “Many officials called me and appreciated me for saving a life after the incident. It encourages me to do my job better," he quipped.
The identity of the man Shanmugham saved remains unknown, as he boarded the same train which stopped after the incident.