Boulders roll down, crash into train at Monkey Hill; 3 hurt

MUMBAI: Passengers of the Hubli-LTT Express had a miraculous escape after boulders fell from a 200-metre-high hillock near Monkey Hill on Monday morning. Three passengers were injured in the freak episode, two of whom have sustained grievous injuries.
The incident took place around 5am when the train was on its way to Mumbai on the middle line. Most passengers were asleep when the boulders came crashing down.The injured passengers occupied berths 31, 32 and 29 in S-6.
Central Railway chief public relations officer Sunil Udasi said, “One boulder came crashing inside the coach after piercing the roof of the S-6 coach. All the three injured passengers were in this coach.”
One of the boulders pierced the roof of the S-4 coach but did not fall inside the compartment. It also damaged the roof of the S-5 coach.
Passenger Adam Dalwai said, “We experienced a huge jerk accompanied by a loud sound, which was frightening. We then saw a hole in the roof and a boulder in the aisle. There were cries of pain. I pulled the alarm chain and bought the train to a halt.”
The guard and the loco pilot found that S-6 was badly damaged. They also noticed a boulder atop coach number S-4 whose top had been pierced but the rock was stuck on the roof.
A CR official said, “ We were worried whether the train would pass through the hill with a rock stuck on top. However, the loco pilot and the coach assessed that the rock will not hit the tunnel and decided to proceed as the injured had to be taken to a hospital at the earliest.”
The train left for Karjat at 5.32am as the in-between stations were not easily accessible by road. “At Karjat, the rock was cleared and the injured were shifted to an accident relief train that had already reached there. They were then taken to Kalyan to be shifted to a hospital.”
Two of the injured passengers—Hasansaab Belavanki (59) and son Asif Belavanki (25) have been admitted to Fortis Hospital, Kalyan. The third injured passenger Shiv Prasad (27) has suffered minor injuries and is being treated at Kalyan Railway Hospital.
Hasan has suffered multiple fractures on the shoulder, chest and foot. The accident has left him with three shattered bones on the left shoulder and four broken ribs on the left side. He has also sustained a fracture on the left foot. His son has suffered a wound on the left scalp. The head injury could leave him hospitalized for a while. He also suffered a fracture of the right wrist.
Shiv Prasad said, “I was sleeping on the side lower berth. But as soon the boulder hit the side upper berth, I felt a jerk and fell in the aisle.”
Central Railway officials, including general manager D K Sharma, rushed to the site and also visited the patients.
(With inputs by Sumitra Deb Roy)