Bhubaneswar: An inebriated man allegedly went berserk and sat on the railway track near Rajmahal Square in Bhubaneswar on Sunday, bringing an Amrit Bharat train to a halt.
As per preliminary information, the incident took place when Train No. 02603 Rangapani-Nagarcoil Amrit Bharat Express was entering Bhubaneswar station.
According to East Coast Railway (ECoR), the man was found to be under the influence of alcohol. He was identified as P Appana Rao of Laxmisagar, Bhubaneswar. He suddenly came in front of the moving train in an apparent suicide attempt.
When the man was spotted sitting on the track, railway authorities immediately stopped the train as a precautionary measure to avert any mishap. As the train remained stopped for some time, steps were taken to ensure safety of passengers.
In a statement, ECoR said that the on-duty loco pilot, demonstrating exceptional alertness, immediately applied emergency brakes and brought the train to a complete halt in Bhubaneswar yard.
Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and the Train Escorting Staff promptly reached the spot, took the person into custody, and shifted him to RPF Post, Bhubaneswar. He was found to be under the influence of alcohol and is undergoing necessary procedural action.
Due to the swift and professional response of the railway staff, the train was detained for only six minutes, resulting in minimal disruption to services and passengers, it added.
