BENGALURU: Bengaluru Metro services were disrupted once again today when a 30-year-old youth from Bihar allegedly attempted suicide by jumping in the face of an approaching train on the tracks of the Jnanabharathi station on Purple Line at 2.13 pm.
Smart action of pressing the emergency button by a woman security guard of a private agency brought the train to a halt saving Siddharth’s life.
Train services on this stretch of Purple Line were disrupted for 17 minutes.
Siddharth did not suffer injuries as per preliminary examination, says the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL).
Siddharth, a graduate, is employed in an electronic shop in Bengaluru. "He was suffering from financial problems," said the source.
According to a BMRCL source, “As a train coming from Whitefield towards Challaghatta was approaching Platform 2 of the station, the youth made a dash and jumped in front of it. Luckily, he fell under the train between the rails and escaped the wheels. Within seconds, the woman security guard dashed to the Emergency Trip System located on the platform, broke open the glass and operated the switch inside. The train came to a halt immediately.”
The youth was pulled out from beneath the train by Metro staff who rushed to the spot. Siddharth’s act reveals a clear attempt to commit suicide, he said.
“The guard’s swift act has just saved a life,” he added.
An official release from Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited said, “As per preliminary information, no injuries have been reported. Two trains were operated as a short loop from Whitefield upto Mysuru Road. Normalcy was restored by 2.30 pm.”
Siddharth hails from Ara town in Bihar. He has been handed over to Jnanabharathi police station for further investigations.
A spate of incidents of public deliberately or accidentally falling on Metro tracks have rocked BMRCL since last year which disrupted train operations.
It has also spurred a vociferous demand from the public for installation of Platform Screen Doors to avert such incidents.
The most recent one was reported last month (Aug 19) when two visually impaired male students slipped and fell down on the tracks of Kempegowda Metro station. Both escaped with one having a minor injury.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)
