KOCHI: A migrant labourer died after he was run over by the luxury train ‘Golden Chariot’ at Vathuruthy along the rarely used Harbour Terminus line on Tuesday morning. The deceased was identified as Kamalesh, 43, of Uttar Pradesh, who worked as a security personnel.
“The incident occurred at Vathuruthy around 9 am. Kamalesh was returning to his house at Vathuruthy from the Naval Base after his night shift. The train carrying tourists from Karnataka was proceeding to the Cochin Harbour Terminus railway station,” police said.
Harbour Terminus is an operational service line: Railways
The Railways said the Harbour Terminus line is “very much live and operational”, and cautioned the public against trespassing through the railway property. “The labourer was walking through the railway track while speaking on a mobile phone. The driver even sounded the horn, but to no avail, and so his life couldn’t be saved,” said a railway spokesperson.
With only freight trains conducting services, that too occasionally, local residents often walk through the tracks and even sit on them in the evenings.
He further said, “The Ernakulam South-Harbour Terminus Line is a live operational line where the railways operate services like ballast-laden trains, goods trains, engines and even to shift coaches. Hence, the public are not permitted to either walk or even cross the tracks.”
“The body of the migrant worker has been moved to the Ernakulam General Hospital, while the train is currently stationed at the Harbour Terminus station. It will return as per schedule,” he said.