BENGALURU: A humane gesture by a guard on board the Shatabdi Express departing from the Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna railway station late Saturday afternoon helped a middle-aged couple hop on board the train after they missed it. The Mysuru-Chennai Shatabdi Express departed at its scheduled time at 4.25 pm from Platform 7. Just as it was slowly moving out, a middle-aged couple, with luggage in tow, came running to the platform.
The man was running ahead of his wife in desperation, when the train chugged off. He stopped running and the lady caught up with him. Meanwhile, the train guard in the last coach saw the two stranded with their luggage and gestured them to keep coming. The couple was confused as the train was moving and was not sure if the train would really stop for them. However, he kept furiously motioning them to come and the couple obeyed. Another railway Class D staffer, standing on the platform, was watching the scene and kept goading the couple ‘Go, go, go’.
Meanwhile, before the train could pick up speed, the guard alerted the loco pilot on his walkie-talkie and asked him to stop for the passengers. The train then slowed down and stopped before the platform could end and the duo hopped on board. Meanwhile, another couple who had missed the train and were seated on a bench with their luggage, rushed towards the train and boarded it.
There were smiles and relief on the faces of those witnessing a happy ending to this movie-style thriller. Details about the couple could not be fetched as the train left immediately.When asked about it, a railway official said that guards have been given instructions on using their discretion to help out genuine passengers. “This is actually rare that a train stops and picks up a passenger, “ a railway staffer said.