Athlete dies after being 'pushed' off moving train

A national-level fencing champion died after falling off a moving train in UP's Hathras district with his family alleging that he was pushed off by GRP personnel even as the police said that preliminary probe pointed towards "accidental" death.
The incident took place on Wednesday when 27-year-old Hoshiyar Singh was travelling with his mother, wife and their 10-month-old child in Kasganj-Mathura passenger train.
SP (Railway), Agra, Gopesh Khanna told PTI today that based on the demand of his family members, an FIR was lodged against two Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel, who were accused of "pushing" him out of the running train.

He, however, maintained that preliminary investigation showed it was a case of death due to "accident and not because of any other reason".
He said the athlete had alighted at Sikandra Rao station, 40 km from Aligarh, to collect water and rushed towards the train when it started moving and in the process, he fell between the train and the platform.
Had it been a case of the athlete being thrown off the moving train, he would have fallen on the platform and not got trapped between the platform and the compartment, he said.

The SP said when a guard saw Singh trying to board the running train, he cautioned him and even applied emergency brake.

Singh's family members, however, alleged that when he went to the women's coach to meet his ailing wife, GRP personnel stopped him and asked for Rs 200. When he refused to pay, he was thrown off the train by police personnel, they alleged.
The family demanded that a murder case be lodged against the officials.
Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said, "A team of senior officials has been sent to the spot and investigation has been ordered. Once the report comes, further action will be taken.