Bareilly (UP): A 23-year-old national-level
sportswoman lost her leg when she was pushed out of a moving
train near Bareilly by three men who attempted to rob her.
Sonu Sinha, a national-level football and volleyball
player, was pushed from the Padmavat Express on Monday night
between Chenati and Bareilly railway stations while she was
travelling to Delhi to appear in an examination, police said.
As she fell on the track, she was hit by another train
moving on a parallel track. Her left leg below the knee was
crushed.
A profusely bleeding Sonu was rushed to the district
hospital here. "When she was brought here, she was in a very
serious condition. Her left leg was badly damaged and her
right leg had injuries. She had also suffered some head
injuries. Our entire team has been treating her. Her left leg
has been amputated. Her general condition is fine," a doctor
treating her said.
With her legs and head in bandages, Sonu said the
robbers tried to pull her gold chain. "I resisted and they
pushed me out of the train. I could not move. I remember
seeing a train coming towards me. I tried getting up. By then,
the train had run over my leg. I don't remember anything after
that," she said.
Sports minister Ajay Maken said in Delhi that he will
seek details in this matter and help Sonu. "We will ask the
Railways to probe the matter and nab the culprits. We will
extend the best medical treatment to the player," he said.
A fight broke out in the compartment. "Sonu claims one
of the men reached for her neck. She thought it might be an
attempt at chain-sntatching. There was a struggle. Whether she
was pushed out or her fall was accidental, only the
investigation will tell," Railway official A K Jain said.
She boarded the train from Lucknow and was travelling in
the general compartment, they added.
Police have registered a case of attempt to murder. None
of her attackers have been traced.
Sonu, alias Arunima was to appear in recruitment
examination of CISF, police said.
"After gaining conciousness this evening, Sonu said she
boarded the train from Lucknow on Monday night at around 12.40
am and was travelling in general compartment," Special
Director General of Police Brij Lal told reporters in Lucknow.
He said a case under section 307 (attempt to murder and
393 (attempt to robbery) of the IPC has been lodged against
unidentified persons by the Government Railway Police.
Sonu in her FIR said three to four youths were fighting
in the train and one of them tried to snatch her chain,
Bareilly GRP incharge Anees Ahmad said.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, April 14, 2011, 00:20