The body of a 55-year-old man, who was run over by a train, remained at the accident spot near Chromepet railway station for more than two hours on Tuesday due to rules that mandate an official note before a body can be removed. Ramasamy of Salem was knocked down by a suburban train around 8 a.m. while he was crossing the track between Tambaram Sanatorium and Chromepet railway stations. He died on the spot.
Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel in Tambaram received information about the accident from those who had gathered at the spot. However, in the absence of an official note or information over phone or wireless from staff of the southern railway in Chromepet, the GRP personnel were unable to remove the body.
As per rules, railway policemen can remove the body of an accident victim from the spot only after an official communication from the station manager of the nearest railway station.
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On Tuesday morning, it was only after 10 a.m. that the southern railway staff formally sent word about the body to the police.
Following this, the body was removed to Tambaram Taluk Government Hospital in Chromepet for post-mortem examination.
There have been many instances of bodies lying in the vicinity of railways lines for hours due to these rules, said railway policemen.
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Student knocked down
In another accident on Monday evening, Vigneswar (19) a second-year commerce student at a city college was knocked down by a train near Pallavaram railway station.
A resident of Eachankadu, Kovilambakkam, he was crossing the railway line to reach the station, when the accident took place.