Mumbai: RPF constable, thief run over by train

Chasing a suspected thief cost a Railway Police Force constable his life. The RPF personnel along with the man were run over by an approaching train on Wednesday. Sachin Shinde, attached with Dadar RPF and posted at Sion railway station, suffered a severe blow, as he failed to notice the running train when he was chasing the suspected thief.

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Shinde and his colleague noticed a suspicious man at Sion station, who started to run away as soon as he saw them

After the accident, both were rushed to Sion Hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival. However, senior police officials denied that the constable was chasing a person and called it an accident. They added that there were no eyewitnesses to the incident and Shinde's colleague, who was with him on duty, was not at the site.

The RPF constable suspected that the man was a thief and started chasing him

However, sources in RPF confirmed that Shinde and his colleague were chasing the man, who was suspected to be a thief. But, the man was a drug addict, who was usually found in the station premises. There were no eyewitnesses, according to officials.

The duo, while running on the tracks, failed to notice an incoming train that ran over them. Illustrations/Uday Mohite

The incident
On Wednesday, between 6 am to 7 am RPF and GRP officials got news that an Uttar Pradesh-bound train, which was crossing Sion station, allegedly ran over people. The security forces rushed to the station and found an injured Shinde with the unidentified man.

Read Story: Man dead, friend in hospital after duo falls from running train

Both had sustained severe injuries and were pronounced dead on arrival at Sion Hospital. "The appearance of the man made the RPF constables suspicious. On spotting them, the man started to run, after which they started chasing him. They probably believed that he was a thief," said a government railway police personnel posted at Sion Police station.

RPF not sure
The senior RPF officials said that they are not sure of the chase story and don't know if the victim rushed to the hospital was from the same accident or a different one. "Both the RPF personnel on duty weren't together and hence there are no eyewitnesses to the actual accident.

Thus, we cannot confirm if Shinde was chasing someone when he was run over by the train. There was another accident victim at the hospital, but we aren't sure if he is from the same accident," said Sachin Bhalode, Sr DSC, senior divisional security commissioner of Central Railway.

Doctor speaks
Dr Rajesh Dhere, head of forensic department at Sion Hospital, said, "According to the information provided to us, both the victims were on different tracks and were looking at each other when two different trains hit them. According to the injuries, both died on spot.

The unidentified victim suffered a severe head injury and skull fracture, while Shinde was hit on his torso and had suffered multiple fractures, including a major intestinal injury."