Soaked in an intense heat of Jammu, 31-year-old Ajay Kumar, a resident of Nangloi area of Delhi, is spending most of his time for the last four days sitting under the shaded portion in the lawns of Government Railway police station. His shabby looks and discoloured clothes is enough proof to judge his helplessness. He finds it difficult to stand on his legs for too long. He spends most of the time lying on the green grass.
Ajay is suffering from ‘left hemiparesis’, a condition which impairs everyday activities such as eating, dressing, using the bathroom and grabbing objects. At present his travel bag and a water bottle is giving him company under the sky. Jawans of GRP police passing by his side occasionally spare a look and ask him if he is alright. The GRP men have also been taking him to the Government hospital for routine check up to avoid any inconvenience.
Ajay was picked up by the Railway Protection Force jawans (RPF) from the Jammu Railway Station on Sunday evening following two separate fire incidents in which five bogeys of two trains were destroyed.
According to Government Railway Police, “An employee of the Indian railways had claimed that he had spotted Ajay Kumar near the bogey of a ‘burning train’ stationed at the central line between Platform no 1 and 2 at Jammu railway station. Ajay Kumar on his part has told the police during preliminary investigation that he boarded the train at the Jammu railway station to use toilet as he could not walk a long way to the nearby toilet.
Ajay’s father Rajinder Singh and one of his uncles camping in Jammu since Tuesday told mediapersons outside the GRP police station on Wednesday, “My son is innocent, I do not know under what circumstances he was picked up by the police. He cannot look after himself but police here have picked him under the suspicion of torching railway bogeys at Jammu railway station.”
Displaying a 20-year-old medical record of his son, Rajinder Singh told The Pioneer, “My son is undergoing treatment at GB Pant Hospital in New Delhi for over 20 years and on Sunday he simply accompanied his cousin during his written examination for the post of fireman in the Indian Army. He said the examination centre of his cousin was in Pathankot. As they came one day in advance they went up to Jammu and after paying a visit to the famous Raghunath temple they arrived at the Jammu railway station around 5.00 pm to board a train en route Pathankote.
According to Rajinder Singh, after some time when two rail bogeys caught fire his son was picked up by the RPF men on the basis of statement given by the railway employee that he had spotted him nearby ‘burning train’.
SSP Railways Shiv Kumar said, “It is too premature to say anything. We are still investigating the case and following several crucial leads in the case. He, however, admitted that Ajay Kumar is not physically fit and is suffering from disease.”
He said keeping in view the sensitive nature of Jammu railway station they cannot take chances and have handed over the case to the Special Investigating team for a thorough probe. Meanwhile, Ajay Kumar’s father has approached local court to grant bail to his son keeping in mind his medical condition. The Railway authorities have also ordered a separate inquiry behind the burning of rail bogeys at the Jammu railway station on May 26.