In a horrifying incident that has put a big question mark on the safety and security of railway gatemen, three men on a bike severed the hands of a gateman after he refused to open a level-crossing gate in north Delhi’s Narela area because a train was approaching, railway officials said on Monday.
Gatemen Kundan Pathak’s hands were reattached after a major surgery that went on for more than four hours in a hospital in Rohini, said Northern Railway spokesperson Nitin Chowdhury. The 28-year-old, who also received serious injuries to his legs and neck, was attacked around 1 am on Monday while posted at a level- crossing at Delhi-Haryana border. In the incident, the gateman’s friend who had come to meet him was also attacked by the assailants.
“The victim hails from Bishanpur in Banka district of Bihar and was manning gate number 19 at Safiabad crossing which is adjacent to Narela in the national Capital. Pathak’s friend Chandan Kumar Singh, who comes from the same village in Bihar, was with him when three men on a bike came and demanded that the level- crossing gate be opened.
“Due to security reasons, Pathak refused as the 18101 Muri Express train was approaching, following which the accused beat him and chopped off his hands with a sharp weapon. Chandan was also injured in the attack,” said Tara Chand, Station House Officer (SHO), Government Railway Police (GRP), Sonepat (Haryana).
The SHO said the Muri Express stopped after getting a distress signal and rushed Pathak to a hospital in Sonepat where he received emergency first aid. He was then taken to the Northern Railway Central Hospital in Delhi and finally shifted to Saroj Hospital in Rohini, whereas Chandan has been admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, said the SHO.
Pathak’s one hand was almost severed and the other was detached from the forearm and severely mutilated, the official said.
“All expenses are being taken care of by the Railways,” said the spokesperson, adding that an FIR has been lodged against unknown persons and investigation is going on.
Following the attack, several gatemen and railway staff on Monday around 10 am blocked the Safiabad crossing disrupting Delhi-Chandigarh railway route for a few hours. The protesters demanded railways authorities to install CCTV camera at every crossing and also to reduce working time from 12 hours to 8 hours a day.