A railway pointsman saved the life of a six-year-old boy who fell on the railway tracks at Vangani station near Mumbai in Maharashtra, by hauling him onto a platform in the nick of time while a speeding train was approaching, Railway officials said on Monday. The CCTV footage of the incident, which took place at platform number 2 of the station on April 17, shows a man, later identified as the pointsman Mayur Shelke, running from another side of the railway tracks towards a boy while a train was just a few feet away. The video grab shows Shelke lifting the boy onto the platform and then pulling himself up.
The thrilling incident was over within five seconds and the speeding train passed the spot where the child had fallen in less than two seconds. According to passenger activists, the boy accompanied by a blind woman fell on the tracks when they were walking close to the edge of the platform around 5 pm. Coincidentally, a speeding outstation train was approaching the platform at that time. Vangani railway station, located 90 km away from here, falls on the Central line of the Mumbai suburban network.
"The child was so small that he was unable to climb the platform. At the same time train no. 01302 Up (Udyan Express) was approaching on the same track speedily," the Central Railway said in a release, adding that the woman on the platform was desperately shouting to save the child.
Watch the daring rescue here:
Very proud of Mayur Shelke, Railwayman from the Vangani Railway Station in Mumbai who has done an exceptionally courageous act, risked his own life & saved a child's life. pic.twitter.com/0lsHkt4v7M
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) April 19, 2021
"Very proud of Mayur Shelke, Railwayman from the Vangani Railway Station in Mumbai who has done an exceptionally courageous act, risked his own life & saved a child's life," tweeted Railway Minister Piyush Goyal. Goyal personally spoke to Shelke for his courageous act to save the life of the child.
"Goyal also said that Shelke's work cannot be compared to any prize or money, but he will be rewarded for inspiring humanity with his work," the release stated. Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Central Railway's Mumbai division also appreciated Shelke.
"Excellent work done by Central Railway Mumbai Division Mr Mayur Shelkhe (Pointsman) saved the life of a child who lost his balance while walking at platform no.2 at Vangani station," the DRM tweeted.
Visuals of railway staff at the Central Railway office clapping for the pointsman were shared by news agency ANI. Speaking to ANI, Mayur said, “The woman (with the child) was blind and she could do nothing. I ran towards the child but also thought that I might be in danger too. Still, I thought I should save him. The woman was very emotional and thanked me a lot. Min Piyush Goyal also called me up.”
#WATCH | Maharashtra: Railway staff at Central Railway office clap for pointsman Mayur Shelkhe, who saved the life of a child who lost his balance while walking at platform 2 of Vangani railway station & fell on railway tracks, on 17th April. Shelkhe was also felicitated. (19.04) pic.twitter.com/6L8l3VmLlQ
— ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2021
(With PTI inputs)