Lower Parel Workshop senior points man run over amid shunting at W.Rly Workshop
Lower Parel Workshop senior points man run over amid shunting at W.Rly Workshop
In a bizzare incident a senior pointsman Kasim Shaikh who works as a senior pointsman at the Western Railway Workshop in Lower, was run over by train after taking wrong direction amid shunting at the railway workshop.
Sources reveal that a technical issue with the points on the track could be one of the reasons for the accident, which is being investigated.
The incident took place when the pointsman set the points for an engine shunting three coaches to move forward out of the bogie section into the mainline of the workshop,
Workshop officials however reveal that the points set would ideally create a new path for the engine and should have taken it onto the tracks leading it outside the bogie section.
But, it is alleged the three coaches and the engine came in the reverse direction on the same rail line and dashed against Shaikh who was barely 50 meters away or so. Other staff immediately alerted the driver to stop but by then it was too late.
According to a member of the railway union, it is shocking that such an incident occurred with our fellow colleague who was always good to everyone. What the other staff understood is Shaikh was facing the other way when the train hit him.
Nevertheless, the railway union member has asked the administration to process his compensation as soon as possible. Shaikh would have celebrated his birthday on 16 June.
Incredibly, the Western Railway spokesperson in their official communication blames Shaikh for his carelessness during the shunting operation which resulted in his death.
Shaikh has been working at the workshop for more than a decade. He is survived by wife and two children.
Senior railway officials arrived at the site to take stock of the situation.
Shunting means the movement of a coach or coaches with or without an engine or of any engine or any other self-propelled vehicle, for attaching, detaching or transfer or for any other purpose. It is an umbrella term involving movements of locomotives, coaches, and wagons.
News input KV Raman
