Two tragedies; two attitudes

Kozhikode: On Wednesday, Kerala woke up hearing two tragedies. One incident highlighted the value of human dignity while other showed apathy to human life.

A pall of gloom descended on Kadalundi village in Kozhikode following the death of two senior citizens in a rail accident on Wednesday morning. Abdurahiman (64) sacrificed his life while trying to save his hearing-impaired neighbour from an approaching train.

The incident took place around 5.45 a.m. Abdurehman, who was returning from the mosque, noticed Raman (70) walking on the railway track and saw a train approaching. He rushed to pull him away from the track but both of them were hit and killed on the spot.

Abdurahman was an active volunteer of the Ideal Relief Wing of Kerala zone of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.

In another bizarre incident on the same day in Kottayam, two youths, who saw a woman fainting on the rail track on seeing an approaching train, failed to rush to her help, but instead took out their mobiles to capture the ghastly scene of the train ramming her.

The incident took place at Muttambalam in Kottayam.

Railway officials said the woman, Laila Thankachan (47) was crossing the track when she was hit by the Parasuram Express.

The railway gatekeeper, who was in his cabin, waved the red flag to alert the engine driver as the woman fainted and fell on the track, but in vain and the train stopped only after hitting her.

The gatekeeper said the two youths, who were near the woman, instead of helping her, were keen on capturing the impending ghastly tragedy on their mobiles.