Mumbai vacation turns tragic, Kerala boy crushed under train

MUMBAI: A Class X student returning to Kerala after spending his summer vacation with his father in Virar, was crushed by a goods train at Vasai station on Wednesday while his father sustained head injuries trying to save him.
Austin Shaju (15) was to take a train to Thrissur with his mother and younger sister after holidaying with his father, Shaju Anthony, a private sector bank employee in Virar.
The family first boarded a local train from Virar to Vasai, where they alighted at platform 5. Anthony asked his wife and daughter to take the foot-over-bridge to platform 7 where the long-distance train to Kerala was to arrive. Anthony and Austin jumped onto the tracks along with the luggage. A goods train was stationed between platform 5 and 6. The father and son decided to crawl underneath the stationary train with the bags.
Austin got under the train while Anthony passed him the luggage. Just when Austin was moving the luggage, the goods train moved. Austin, who was caught unawares, was crushed underneath its wheels. Anthony tried to pull away his son but it was too late. He ended up with injuries on the head. The goods train finally halted and the boy’s body was removed, even as his mother and sister waited on the platform, unaware about the accident.
Anthony had moved to the bank’s Virar branch a year ago. His family was visiting the city for the first time, said a colleague. They were returning home in time for Austin’s Class X results. The body will be flown to their home town for the funeral. The Vasai Government Railway Police (GRP) registered a case of accidental death.
A regular Vasai commuter, K K Prakashan, said people tend to crawl underneath the goods train to get to the east. “Goods trains are stationed on the track for hours but when they move there are no signals or indications,” said Prakashan. He said during the morning peak hours, most commuters heading to the east side end up crossing the tracks and crawling underneath goods trains.