A passenger has narrowly escaped injury after being dragged about 50 metres alongside a moving train when he slipped into the gap between the carriage and platform.
Terrifying CCTV footage captured the moment the man lost his footing while attempting to board the Sabarmati Express at Agra Cantt Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh, India.
The incident unfolded at about 9.35pm local time on September 8 as the passenger, wearing a blue button-down shirt, tried to climb aboard the moving train.
Sign up to The Nightly’s newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.
Footage shows him suddenly losing his footing and falling into the narrow gap between the carriage and the platform.
With the train continuing to move through the station, the man was dragged alongside the carriage as he desperately fought to keep himself away from the tracks.
Other travellers quickly realised what was happening and began sprinting alongside the train in an attempt to reach him.
A crowd gathered on the platform as several people desperately tried to pull the trapped passenger away from the moving carriages.
Passengers aboard the Sabarmati Express could also be seen looking through the windows as the dramatic rescue unfolded below.
Members of the Government Railway Police’s Quick Response Team then raced towards the scene and joined other travellers trying to free the man, The Sun reported.
Officers eventually managed to pull him clear of the train and haul him to safety after he had reportedly been dragged for about 50 metres.
Remarkably, the passenger was reported to have escaped the ordeal without suffering any injuries.
GRP inspector Sandeep Tomar said the man’s life was saved by the quick actions of police officers and fellow passengers who rushed to his aid.
The extraordinary close call comes amid ongoing concerns over safety across India’s sprawling railway network.
The country’s rail system has experienced a number of serious and deadly accidents, with ageing infrastructure, overcrowding and human error among the factors blamed for previous incidents.
Outdated tracks and signalling systems have also been identified as safety concerns, while the enormous number of passengers using the network continues to place pressure on services.
Human errors, including misread signals and worker fatigue, have also been linked to crashes across the country.
