Four passengers die after falling off from train

Travelling on the footboard of a heavily crowded suburban train claimed the lives of four people, including a school student, when they were hit against the parapet wall of the St Thomas Mount railway station here.

The shocking incident took place at around 8.30 am on Tuesday when the Chennai Beach-Tirumalpur train was approaching the Mount station, one of the busiest in the network, and the passengers travelling on foot-board hit against the parapet wall near electric poles.

The incident took place a day after two people lost their lives at the same station due to overcrowding of trains.

Two passengers travelling along the footboard of the train hit an iron pillar of the overbridge at the railway station, sources said.

"At St Thomas Mount station, the shoulders bags of male commuters travelling on footboard hit against the Railway cement fence and 10 passengers fell down at 8.25 am from the running train (T.No.40701 – Chennai Beach – Tirumalpur Passenger)," an official release from the Southern Railway said.

While the bodies of Shivakumar (19), Bharat (16) and Naveen Kumar (25) have been identified, the identity of one person is yet to be ascertained.

Six people who were injured are being treated at various government hospitals.

"Passengers are requested to avoid travelling on the footboard and avoid hanging outside the train risking their own life and lives of co-passengers," the press release said.

The train was jam-packed, according to passengers, since EMU services were delayed between Chennai Beach and Guindy station due to signal failure near Kodambakkam stations.

"Passengers of at least three trains boarded in just one train as services were delayed. It is the carelessness of the railway administration that has resulted in the accident," a rail passenger said.

Railway officials blamed passengers travelling on footboard for such unfortunate incidents.

This is not the first time that passengers have lost their lives while travelling on the footboard of suburban trains, which are the lifeline for those living in suburbs.

Additional Director General of Police (Railways) Sylendra Babu told reporters that the passengers hit the parapet walls of the station and fell down from the train.

"We have been asking passengers not to travel on the footboard, but despite such warnings, people do travel. We will take up awareness campaigns to ensure there is no footboard travel on suburban trains,"he said.

After the incident, Railway authorities have begun demolishing the parapet wall to ensure such incidents don't recur.