The railway tracks between Barwadeeh railway junction and Japla railway station under Dhanbad/ Moghulsarai divisions have earned a bad name. Under this stretch desperate peoples with problems of different kinds are choosing to jump-off on the tracks only to get run over by moving trains.
Residents of Daltonganj have not forgotten as to how a renowned surgeon Mohan Prasad of this place was found dead on the railway tracks in Ranchi railway station in the early months of this year.
Such deliberate getting run over has gone up in the first 7 months of this year in Palamu. Till July 30 this year 28 lives have been lost on the railway tracks between Barwadeeh railway junction and Japla railway station. This distance comes under Daltonganj GRP. There are more deaths on tracks beyond this Daltonganj GRP range that is between Barwadeeh railway junction and Japla railway station.
Sources said most of the deaths are suicides. Some are deaths caused by hitting of the trains. Some are plain run over on account of terrible negligence on the part of the person negotiating the railway tracks. And the run over victims are those who have ear plugs, talking on cell phones or are over confident that their legs will be swifter than wheels etc.
Station superintendent (SS) Daltonganj railway station AK Tiwary who joined as SS only this July 1 said, "I am just at my wits end as to why people come to the tracks to get themselves beheaded by train. Our railway traffic inspector A K Sinha has posted an appeal on his 'Facebook' asking people to keep safe from the railway tracks and not to lose life at all on the tracks."
Traffic inspector AK Sinha said, "If the crew of the engine of a train spots any one on the railway track 800 meters away the crew hoots and hoots to warn the person to be away from the tracks but if the person is determined to lose life on the tracks the crew can not do any thing. Engine crew pays high respect to man and animal both and care for their lives but in situation where a person is hell bent to commit suicide the engine crew finds itself helpless."
Emergency breaking is done but in extra ordinary situation and not where such a determined act is to be done by a person to get away from this world said Sinha then, "It will be difficult for us to run any train on the tracks."
Out of 28 deaths, four have been reported in July, five in June, six in May, two in April, three in March, five in February and three in January during 2016 confirmed Sinha. All these deaths on the railway tracks have occurred or made to happen by the person in day time.
Easing out in morning near railway tracks is one of the major causes of deaths on tracks. Brother of a news photographer recently died in such a condition on the tracks in Daltonganj. An angry husband got his head off on the track by a train in broad day light. Railway officials are mooting the idea to launch a drive across the villages lying near the railway lines against such losses of lives on the tracks. There are houses situated right across the railway lines and here the vulnerability to come under wheels of the trains is very high.