In a display of courage and presence of mind, a Central Railway employee sped in front of an express train from the opposite direction to save the life of a young boy who had fallen on the railway track.
The incident took place on April 17 evening at Vangani Station of the Central Railway in neighbouring Thane district.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday put out a tweet appreciating the feat of Central Pointsman Mayur Shelke.
“Very proud of Mayur Shelke, Railwayman from the Vangani Railway Station who has done an exceptionally courageous act, risked his own life & saved a child's life,” Goyal said in his tweet.
In a video clip that accompanied the minister’s tweet, a visually-handicapped woman is seen carrying a heavy rucksack walking on the platform when a 6-year-old child accompanying her suddenly seems to stumble and fall onto the railway tracks below.
The footage also shows the Bengaluru-Mumbai Udyan Express train speeding on the same track when the Pointsman Shelke is seen running on that track from the opposite direction to help the boy.
Central Railway spokesperson Shivaji Sutar said the CR would reward Shelke for his alertness and daring feat which helped rescue a boy from a certain death on the tracks.