Man on tracks jumps into river to escape from train, drowns

CHENNAI: In a bid to to avoid being hit by an express train, a 37-year-old man walking on the tracks between Nungambakkam and Chetpet railway stations on Saturday morning jumped into the River Cooum and drowned. He was stuck in the sludge.
Police identified him as R Balaji, a lorry mechanic of Peri Eri Salai in Anna Nagar.
Afew residents from slum tenements along the river bank noticed the man inside the water and informed railway police control room.A team of Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel arrived and alerted the Choolaimedu police. A team of the Choolaimedu police station, after an inspection, confirmed that the man fell off the railway flyover and drowned. A Government Railway Police (GRP) team from Egmore registered a case under CrPC Section 174 (unnatural death) and sent the body to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital for autopsy.
An Aadhaar card recovered from Balaji’s trousers helped police trace his family. A bachelor, Balaji is survived by hisfather Rajaram, mother and a younger brother, police said.
Police said it was still not clear why Balaji had been walking on the railway tracks towards Chetpet. His family members told police Balaji had lefthome on Friday night after he received a call about a problem.
Police said there were two tracks running along the railway flyover above the river. Both tracks have a two-and-ahalf-foot gap in the middlethat is visible only after one steps on to the flyover, an officer said. Balaji may have been walking along and may have suddenly seen the train hurtling towards him. With no place to run, he may have jumped into the river, he added.
“The place where Balaji fell is full of sludge and garbage dumped indiscriminately.Hewouldhavebeen trapped in thesludge,”theofficer said.