Youth found dead near railway track in Kochi; police suspect fall from moving train

Kochi: An 18-year-old youth from Kollam was found dead near a railway track after reportedly falling from a moving train. The body was found near the railway marshalling yard at Ponnurunni in Kochi on Monday. The police suspect that he may have accidentally fallen from the Malabar Express while sitting at its open doorway in the early hours of Monday.

The deceased has been identified as Rahul, a native of Pullamala in Kollam. He was travelling to Kollam from Kannur aboard the Malabar Express along with a friend.

According to the police, the incident is believed to have occurred between 3 am and 3.30 am while the train was passing through Kochi. Rahul’s friend told the police that he had last seen him sitting at the open door of the compartment before falling asleep.

The friend remained unaware of Rahul’s disappearance and realised that he was missing only after getting down from the train at Kollam. He then tried calling Rahul on his mobile phone, but there was no response. The friend subsequently alerted the railway authorities and police.

At around 8.17 am, local residents found an unidentified body lying beside the railway tracks near Ponnurunni and alerted the police.

Kadavanthra police reached the spot and found that the victim’s mobile phone was ringing. By answering the call on Rahul’s phone, the officers were able to contact his friend and subsequently establish his identity. The police had initially registered a case concerning the death of an unidentified male, aged around 18, who was suspected to have been fatally struck by a train.

A police officer said the incident was being treated as an accidental death for now.
“It hasn’t been confirmed, but what seems to be the case right now is that he fell off while sitting at the door,” the officer said.

“What the friend says is that when he last saw him, he was sitting at the door. Then, when the friend got off at Kollam and looked, he couldn’t find him. He said he called on the phone, but there was no answer. When we reached the spot and attended the phone, that was when we got all these details,” the officer added.

The police said the exact circumstances of the fall have not yet been established. It is yet to be determined whether Rahul accidentally slipped from the train or jumped.

The officer said the body was found very close to the railway line and bore a head injury consistent with being struck by a train.
“It was lying right close to the track itself. There is an injury to the head, an injury typical of being hit by a train. It must have been hit by some part of the train,” the officer said.
The body has been shifted to the hospital mortuary. Further investigation is underway.