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An FIR was registered against Kolkata Metro after a complaint of alleged negligence on its part was lodged by the family of an elderly man who died after being dragged by a train as his hand got stuck between the doors of a coach, police said.
The victim, 66-year-old Sajal Kumar Kanjilal, was trying to board a Kavi Subhash-bound train from the Park Street Metro station on the down line when his hand got stuck in the train door. He was dragged for nearly 60 metres as the train started moving. Kanjilal was rushed to the SSKM Hospital, where the doctors declared him “brought dead”.
On Sunday, Rajkumar Mukherjee, Kanjilal’s cousin, said he filed a complaint of “criminal negligence” against the metro authorities at Park Street police station. “We will take up the matter with the highest metro authorities, no matter what,” PTI quoted Mukherjee as saying.
“An FIR was lodged against Metro Railway today on the basis of a complaint filed by Sajal Kanjilal’s family, alleging criminal negligence,” a police official told PTI.
Following the incident on Saturday, Metro Railway Kolkata authorities formed an inquiry committee to look into the incident. General Manager (Metro) P C Sharma also ordered a high-level inquiry. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a job for a family member of the deceased.
Metro services were the most neglected in West Bengal and no regular efforts were taken for maintenance, she said. “During our tenure, we brought in new rakes and conducted regular maintenance. But now, no new projects are introduced,” said Banerjee.
Some of the passengers at the station blamed Metro Railway authorities for “negligence”. They raised questions regarding the sensor of the doors that did not work at the time of the incident. When in order, the sensor is supposed to prevent the doors of the compartments from closing if anything or anyone is stuck in between.
They even questioned the role of the RPF personnel. “What were RPF personnel doing? They are deployed to see no one is stuck in the door. There was no RPF personnel present at the spot when the incident occurred,” claimed a passenger.