Army soldier electrocuted to death atop train in J&K's Samba

Jammu, April 15 (IANS) An Army soldier was electrocuted to death when he climbed onto the top of a train in J&K's Sa.mba district, an official said on Tuesday.

The official said the incident occurred on Monday evening near Bari Brahmana railway station.

Official said that 24-year-old Ramchandra Choudhary of Rajasthan's Jodhpur was killed when he climbed to the top of a train.

Choudhary came into contact with a live wire and was electrocuted.

The incident occurred when Chaudhary, serving in a territorial Army battalion and posted in Srinagar, was going for his new posting in Sikandrabad of Uttar Pradesh.

Choudhary's body was shifted to the Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital in Jammu for completion of medico-legal formalities.

What prompted the soldier to climb to the top of the train is not yet known.

It must be recalled that people in overcrowded trains climbed onto the top of the vehicle when they were powered by coal. In electricity-run trains, such an attempt is often fatal.

In another accident, 11 people were injured when the mini-bus they were travelling in went out of the driver's control and turned turtle on the road in the Manjakot area of Rajouri district on Tuesday.

All the injured were shifted to the hospital for treatment.

In another accident on Monday, one person was killed and 11 others injured in a road accident near the Banihal town in Ramban district.

Critically injured people were shifted for specialised treatment to the GMC hospital in Anantnag town.

Traffic Department officials attribute accidents in hilly areas of Jammu division, including Ramban, Rajouri, Kishtwar, Doda, Udhampur and Poonch districts, to overspeeding, overloading, rash and negligent driving and road rage.

Special squads of the Traffic Department have been posted in vulnerable areas to ensure traffic rules are obeyed.

--IANS

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