Kids run over by train ran their homes in UP village

Arvind Prasad was all of 13 years when he left his village in UP and came to Surat to work in a textile unit about four months ago. Since then, he would send home Rs 2,000 every month to educate his brothers, Govind (16) and Zenal (11). Their parents are farm labourers and could hardly feed these mouths, forget sending them to school.

Their dreams crashed on Wednesday when Arvind, along with his roommate Mukesh Sahani (11), was killed after being hit by a train. Mukesh too had come along with Arvind from their village of Chennampatti in Kushinagar district in UP.

The two friends were playing on the railway tracks when they were hit by the train.

The duo were brought to Surat by one Zahir Ansari, their co-villager who convinced their parents about the money and the promise that awaited them in Surat. They could feed and school their children, the parents were told by Ansari, who supplies labourers for textile units in Bhatena area of Surat.

Mukesh and Arvind were among seven people from their village who were brought to Surat by Ansari and bundled into a 12x28 feet room, their new abode.

While Ansari sent five of them to work in textile units in the area, he employed the two boys in his own unit that he runs out of his home. The two were given the job of cutting textile bales.

On Wednesday afternoon, Arvind, Mukesh, along with two other boys, Narad Sahani (18) and Burna Prasad (19), left their room after lunch to play and reached the railway tracks nearby.

Arvind and Mukesh were running on the tracks while Narad and Burna were walking behind them when they heard the sound of the approaching train. Narad shouted to warn them but by then, Arvind and Mukesh were in the middle of a railway bridge. The two boys still tried to step aside, but it was too late. They were flung far away by the impact.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Modi addresses farmers, blames Centre for delay in Narmada gates

Astronomy buffs geared up for meteor shower

Narendra Modi dials Lalu, enquires about health after car accident

'Top cop Pandey, now on run, plotted Ishrat encounter with IB man'