Mumbai train motorman's survival instincts save suicidal teenager

With an average of 10 people dying on railway tracks in the city every day, this 19-year-old girl is lucky to be alive, especially considering she made an attempt to join the list of casualties. She jumped in front of a Churchgate-bound slow train at Mahalaxmi station around 9.15 am yesterday. But she survived owing to her will to live, the motorman's savvy, and luck.

Taking the plunge: The slow local was approaching Mahalaxmiu00a0station. As the train came closer, the woman leapt on to the tracksu00a0

A resident of Jeejamata Nagar in Worli, she ran away from home at about 6 am. A college dropout, she was suffering from depression and was receiving medical treatment for the past year at a local dispensary.

Gap between life and death: After she jumped on the track, almost an entire bogie passed over her

Speaking to MiD DAY, her father Ishrarul Haq said, "She woke up in the morning and complained of uneasiness. We assured her we would take her to the doctor shortly. When we eventually woke up, we realised she wasn't in the house. I registered a missing complaint at Worli police station and began searching for her."

Lucky escape: After stopping the train, the motorman calledu00a0the stationmaster and the girl, who was unhurt, was pulled out

She is the youngest of Haq's six children. She was to be taken to Dawood Nursing home for psychiatric treatment yesterday itself. Her father works in a tin factory at Navi Mumbai.

Despite the motorman slowing down the train, one of the bogies passed over the woman. However, as she lay motionless in the recess between the train and the tracks, she survived without a scratch. GRP took her to Nair Hospital. "She kept pleading with us to let her go and did not reveal anything about herself. As she had no identity documents along with her, we did not know how to contact her relatives. We took her to Nair hospital where doctors counselled her for over an hour. Despite these efforts she did not disclose much," said Rajendra Trivedi, senior inspector, GRP (Mumbai Central).

She was later sent to JJ Hospital where she was admitted in the psychiatric ward and administered medicines. The doctors assured GRP personnel that the drugs would calm her down and she would be more willing to talk by late evening. She finally became more composed and gave details about herself to a lady constable. Following this the police were informed and Ishrarul Haq was called in.
-- Inputs by Nigel Buthellou00a0