19-yr-old travelling on train top electrocuted

Yet another act of needless daredevilry by a train commuter claimed a life on the city's suburban rail network.u00a0

Death by neglect: Shamsher Shaikh was electrocuted while commuting on top of a CST-bound train on Harbour line

Shamsher Alam Abdul Shaikh was on his way to Haji Ali on top of a train to celebrate the third day after Eid, when he got electrocuted at Tilak Nagar railway station on Sunday afternoon. Train services were disrupted for over 30 minutes on the tracks leading to CST.

The 19-year-old deceased was a resident of Shivaji Nagar in Govandi. He had climbed on to the roof of a CST-bound train, and got caught in the high-tension overhead wire, while his companions were traveling inside the train.

"The train wasn't crowded but these young boys want to perform stunts. Shaikh came in contact with a wire and fell on the pantograph which is attached to the heavy voltage equipment, and burnt his head," said an official from Wadala police station.

Shaikh was taken to Sion hospital where he was declared dead before admission. There were flash burns across his body.

"Shaikh was headed to Haji Ali with his four friends. He climbed up the compartment and sat on the roof of the train while his friends sat inside," said Madni Mohammad, Shaikh's neighbour.

Shaikh was the fourth amongst seven siblings and his father, Abdul Kudoos, is a cook by profession.

A daily train commuter, Wasim Sayyed, said, "Even on a Sunday, trains on the Harbor line are crowded and boys generally travel on train tops. This is not a rare scenario and steps should be taken to prevent people from climbing on the roof of the train." u00a0