A passenger died inside the tunnel of the Kolkata Metro on Saturday when his hand was caught between the automated doors of a moving rake and his body was dragged for several meters.
The accident occurred between Park Street and Maidan metro stations at about 6.42 pm. The passenger was trying to board a Kavi Subhas-bound train at Park Street station when the doors shut on his hand. The train started moving dragging him along. By the time the motorman could apply the brakes, the passenger had fallen on the tracks in the tunnel.
The accident not only created panic among lakhs of metro commuters, but also brought to the fore safety lapses in the functioning of the oldest metro service in the country. The automated doors of the Kolkata Metro reopen when an object comes in between. Eyewitnesses said the rake involved in the accident was relatively new.
Photo: Google Maps
The deceased passenger was identified as Sajal Kumar Kanjilal( 66). Indrani Banerjee, Public Relations Officer of Kolkata Metro, said it was a very serious incident and a thorough investigation would be carried out. “If it is the fault of the motorman, then action will taken as per procedures,” she said.
Metro is one of major modes of transport connecting Kolkata’s north to the south. It carries over six lakh passengers on a weekday. Over the past few years, there have been reports of technical glitches like fires in metro rakes forcing evacuation of passengers.
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