Case of death by negligence filed against Kolkata Metro

A group of theatre activists protested at Park Street station and later submitted a deputation demanding firm punitive action and also steps for improving safety of train passengers.

The complaint was filed under Sections 304 A (causing death by negligence) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. Photo: Reuters

A day after the horrific death of a train passenger, a police complaint was filed on Sunday against the Metro Railway authorities, while activists staged a demonstration at the Park Street station demanding exemplary punishment to the guilty and measures ensuring such ghastly incidents did not recur.

The complaint was filed at Shakespeare Sarani police station by the family members of Sajal Kanjilal - a resident of South Kolkata`s Kasba area - who died after the train he tried to board started moving with his hand stuck between two sliding doors and the body hanging outside on Saturday.

The complaint was filed under Sections 304 A (causing death by negligence) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

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However, Kanjilal`s family members also demanded initiation of a case relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the Metro Railway authorities.

"This is criminal negligence. This is culpable homicide. Whether there is technical negligence or human negligence, the responsibility lies with metro authorities," said a relative of the victim.

Amid allegations that the sensor on the door did not function despite the sliding doors closing with Kanjilal`s hand stuck between them, another relative of the middle-aged man said the railway authorities should answer why the faulty rakes were being used.

Meanwhile, a group of theatre activists protested at Park Street station and later submitted a deputation demanding firm punitive action and also steps for improving safety of train passengers.

Kanjilal was a theatre activist, trained dancer, poet, little magazine enthusiast and a model for artists.

He had tried to board the Kavi Subhas-bound train around 6.40 p.m. at Park Street station, but could not get in fully due to a heavy rush of passengers.

He had only managed to slip one of his hands inside the compartment, when the sliding doors closed in, and the hand got stuck. To the horror of onlookers, the train started moving towards Maidan station, dragging the man whose body was hanging outside.

After the train had moved some distance, the shouts of other train passengers alerted the driver, who applied the emergency brake, and the victim fell, face-first, on the track below.

The train came to a stop with four coaches inside the tunnel and the remaining four on the platform area.

Eyewitnesses said the victim lay in the tunnel for quite some time before security personnel ran and removed him.

The Metro railway has ordered a high level probe into the incident.

The train`s motorman and the guard have been suspended.

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