A delegation of Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh (CRMS) and National Rail Mazdoor Union (NRMU) has asked the Central Railway (CR) to investigate the exact cause of motorman R Ramchandran’s death. The unions allege that the motorman’s hand was amputated to rescue him when he was still alive.

Ramchandran died after the girder of an under-construction bridge collapsed on a local train on Friday. “The rescue team with equipment reached the spot only after an hour-and-a-half. The motorman has died of shock (trauma) after his hand was amputated when alive to extricate him from,” said a motorman.

A delegation of CRMS and NRMU has asked the railway to call a probe into the matter. CR chief spokesperson S Mudgerikar said, “We tried our best to rescue the motorman. He died at 1.15 pm and his hand was amputated later to remove his body from the debris.”

The delegation asked the railway administration to fill vacant posts of motormen. According to railways (a reply Newsline received to the RTI filed) CR has 571 motormen against the sanctioned 716 while the WR has 330 against the required 440.

The motormen claim they don’t even get a weekly off and have to work overtime increasing stress. “A fresh batch of 19 recruits is expected to join by November. But even if they join, they can only become motormen in next 15-20 years. There is direct recruitment of motormen in CR,” said a NRMU official.