Railway Guard Injured in Unfortunate Train Accident Due to Faulty Handle

A railway guard, Y Durga Prasad, sustained serious injuries after falling from a moving train in the Vijayawada Division when the handle of his coach door broke. The incident, which occurred during an 'all right' signal exchange with another train, highlights critical safety concerns in railway operations.

A railway guard was gravely injured after he fell from a moving train in the Vijayawada Division. The accident occurred when the handle of his coach door broke while he was exchanging an 'all right' signal with another oncoming train, officials reported on Tuesday.

Nusrat Mandrupkar, a public relations officer of the Vijayawada Division in the South Central Railway, explained that the incident took place on July 7. The mishap occurred when the Howrah SF Express (train number 12864) was between Rajahmundry and Samalkot. The guard, Y Durga Prasad, leaned out of the door to show the green flag to the other train, which is a safety protocol to signal that the route is clear.

The crew of the Howrah SF Express realized Prasad was missing only after reaching Samalkot. Another train's crew had reported that the guard hadn't exchanged the 'all right' signal. A search operation was launched, and Prasad was found unconscious along the rail tracks. He was rushed to a hospital and is currently on ventilator support, with his condition closely monitored by senior railway officials.

Railway authorities stated that this incident should serve as a warning for train guards about the dangers of leaning out of moving trains. Signals can be safely exchanged by standing at the coach door and waving the green flag or light, without leaning out. This safety measure is regularly communicated to passengers as well.

(With inputs from agencies.)