BHUBANESWAR: The craze for taking dangerous selfies almost claimed the life of a 19-year-old youth, who suffered severe burn injuries from the high-voltage overhead electric (OHE) wire atop a stationary rail wagon at Mancheswar railway station on Sunday.
The victim Rajesh Dashore is a native of Rajasthan and had come to Bhubaneswar for skill development training at Mancheswar industrial estate. After arriving at the Mancheswar railway station in the early hours, Dashore climbed atop a loaded wagon standing on track no-07 to click selfies and make reels for social media during which he came dangerously close to the high-voltage wire. He suffered serious burn injuries from electric shock and fell down beside the track.
On-duty railway protection force (RPF) personnel immediately rescued Dashore and shifted him by ambulance to a railway hospital for emergency treatment. After preliminary medical care, he was referred to SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack. However, as his condition deteriorated, he was rushed to the burn unit of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, government railway police officials said.
Railway police have launched an investigation into the matter and informed his parents about the incident. Dashore’s friends are also present in the hospital, police said.
Meanwhile, issuing a statement, East Coast Railway (ECoR) authorities urged passengers and the general public, particularly youngsters, to avoid climbing railway wagons, coaches, poles or any railway structure for selfie, photography, videography or social media content creation.
Railway officials warned that the OHE system used for train operations carries extremely high voltage electricity and can cause severe injuries or death even without direct physical contact, as electric arcing may occur when a person comes too close to the wire.
ECoR said awareness campaigns were regularly being conducted through station announcements, posters, public advisories and social media outreach to sensitise people against trespassing and unsafe activities within railway premises. It also cautioned that such acts could also invite legal action under relevant provisions of the Railways Act.
“Indian Railways reiterates that railway tracks and electrical installations are highly sensitive operational zones and public cooperation is essential to prevent such unfortunate incidents,” ECoR stated.