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Suicide cripples Kolkata Metro at rush hour

Hundreds of commuters were left stranded as Metro services on both up and down lines were disrupted for around three…

Suicide cripples Kolkata Metro at rush hour

Representational Image (Photo: Getty Images)

Hundreds of commuters were left stranded as Metro services on both up and down lines were disrupted for around three hours after a man committed suicide by jumping on the track at Shyambazar Metro Station this evening. The situation worsened when an empty rake got derailed. This forced the passengers to leave the metro station and faced the ordeal of waiting for buses for hours on end.

The youth, yet to be identified, was standing at the platform and jumped in front of a Kavi Subhash bound metro the moment it chugged into the platform. The incident took place at 6 p.m. The motor man applied the emergency brake but could not stop the speeding train. “The youth jumped just a few feet away from the incoming train.

I pressed the emergency brake but could not save the youth,” the motorman, who was reluctant to be identified, said. The incident led to harassment of commuters in the evening rush hours who were returning after office. Hundreds of people were found waiting on platforms to get a Dum Dum bound train. But it took around three hours to restore the service.

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Commuters suffered more as many bus services were also withdrawn due to a state holiday on Tuesday. Metro spokesperson Indrani Banerjee could not be contacted despite several attempts. A truncated services, however, were operated between Central and Noapara and between Tollygunj and Kavi Subhash during the disruption.

Commuters who suffered following the disruption said they were stranded at stations and there was no announcement when the services would resume. “I have been waiting at Chandni Chowk Metro station for more than one and half hours. I made an appointment with a doctor for my daughter at Shyambazar but there is no announcement when the service would restore,” said Mr Rupayan Chatterjee who was stranded at the station along with her eight-yearold daughter. Tickets to passengers for Dum Dum station were also not been given to check gathering on the platforms.

People returning home after the day’s work turned impatient and many were found cursing the long standing problem of disruption in the service due to suicide. The man jumped on to the tracks and his body touched the third rail which is a high voltage line. The person got electrocuted and died immediately. Policemen posted at the Metro station contacted Shyampukur Police station.

Police from the local police station rushed to the spot and removed the victim’s body. They took it to the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital where doctors confirmed his death. Power to the third rail was stopped at the station to retrieve the body from under the wheels.

“Since the body had come under the track, it took us and the police some time to remove it. We had to take a power block before lifting the mangled body,” a metro official said.

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