Man jumps off train to save friend, gets hit by train and dies

CHENNAI: A 26-year-old man who jumped off a moving suburban train to rescue his friend -who slipped and fell off the train- was hit by another train coming from the opposite direction near Saidapet railway station on Tuesday evening.

The deceased, identified as Gautham, was part of a group of friends who came to send off a friend to Singapore, police investigations revealed.

Gautham along with his friends, Suveeth, Asaithambi, and two others had come to Chennai on Tuesday from Tirupattur.

Suveeth was traveling to Singapore as part of work, police said.

After getting down at Chennai Central railway station, the five friends had taken the sub-urban train service from Park railway station to reach Tirusulam to reach the Airport.

When the train was passing between Mambalam railway station and Saidapet railway station, Asaithambi who was standing near the door, slipped and fell down. While the others alighted the train onto the platform as it slowed down while approaching Saidapet railway station, Gautham had jumped from the train and ended on the tracks.

"In a fraction of a second, an electric train towards Beach had hit Gautham. Asaithambi got lucky and did not get hit by the train," said a railway police officer.

Gautham was moved to a hospital where he was declared as brought dead. His body was sent to the Government Royapettah Hospital for autopsy. Mambalam Police registered a case and are investigating.