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Kerala: Drunk passenger pushes TTE to death from a running train

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a gruesome incident, a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) met a tragic death after being pushed out of a moving train by a drunk passenger at Velappaya in the Thrissur district of Kerala on Tuesday evening.

The TTE identified as K Vinod who was pushed into the track, was run over by a passing train coming from the opposite direction. The culprit Rajnikanta, 45, a migrant worker hailing from Odhisha was taken into custody by the Palakkad Railway Protection Force soon after the incident.

The incident took place on the Ernakulam - Patna SuperFast Express. The accused reportedly boarded the train from Thrissur and was in an inebriated state.

During the routine checking, the TTE found that the accused Rajanikanta was travelling with a general ticket in the S-11 reserved coach. As he refused to leave the coach, an argument took place following which he pushed the TTE out of the door.

Vinod reportedly sustained a head injury after falling on the adjacent track. A train going towards Ernakulam ran over him. The accused was taken into custody by the Railway Protection Force and brought to Palakkad station at 8.30 pm. Subsequently, he was taken for a medical examination at the general hospital.

The accused said that the TTE had him pay a fine of Rs 1000. "I didn't have money at that time," Rajnikanta, who is a hotel worker at Kunnamkulam in Thrissur district, told media persons in Palakkad.

Vinod's colleague Reji recalled meeting him earlier in the evening at Ernakulam railway station. “We boarded the train together at Ernakulam. I got down at Thrissur and bid goodbye to him. After some time I got a call from a colleague in Ernakulam saying that Vinod had met with an accident. I rushed to the spot and was shocked to see the tragic end of my colleague. I have known him since 2009. A lively person, he was always ready to help others and used to deal with passengers politely,” he said.

Vinod used to play small roles in Malayalam films. Malayalam film producer Sandra Thomas recollected;``He did a small role in my film “Nalla Nilavuolla Ratri”. About a month ago I called him in connection with the booking of a train ticket. Even at that time, he requested me to give him a small role in the next film,” she said.

Vinod had constructed a new house in Manjumal in Ernakulam district three months ago. People of the area are shocked by the tragic incident even as his family comes to terms with the humongous tragedy.


( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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