ಎಸ್ಸೆಸ್ಸೆಲ್ಸಿ ಪರೀಕ್ಷಾ ದಿಕ್ಸೂಚಿ: ‘THERE’S A GIRL BY THE TRACKS’ SUMMERY

Part-1

This is a story written by ‘Devan Kanal’ that describes the accident that Roma Talreja’ a 21 year old call centre employee met with on the tracks of the Mumbai sub–urban electric train and how Baleshwar Mishra, a 20 year old youngster helped Roma recover.

Roma heading home from her job in the evening managed to squeeze herself into a crowded ladies compartment, trying to settle into a corner near the door. The train hurtled ahead, jammed between other women, Roma was trying to find some space to stand safely on, when she suddenly got pushed, thrown out of the coach, the thud of her fall on the ground more than a meter below, she was knocked senseless.

Standing near the door of another train speeding in the opposite direction, Baleshwar was shocked to see a young woman fall-off and lying next to the tracks. Impulsively, he grabbed the train’s red emergency chain, pulled it down frenetically. He shoved himself to the door and jumped off the still-moving train learning that none in the compartment volunteered to help the woman who fell-off the train.

He started to sprint back between the tracks with his hurt ankle and torn-off old rubber slippers as a result of his jump from the moving train. He ran several minutes, gasping for breath to locate the victim. He found her sprawled by the side of the tracks. Knowing that she was senseless he noticed the blood flowing out of a gash behind her head. Helplessly, he silently prayed and lifted the injured woman gingerly, imploring the motorists who drove by to help him take her to a hospital but failed.

That Friday (Dec 10, 2010), Roma, B.Com graduate from Pune, who was working at a call centre was returning home having spent some leisure hours with friends after work, looking forward to having supper with her parents and brother and a long phone chat with her fiancé Vijay.

Baleshwar Mishra, a lanky youngster from Mirzapur, UP, unemployed high school drop-out had recently come to Mumbai seeking a job. Having spent a casual day, boarded the train home pondering over his future. But, all he could then think of was saving a stranger’s life.

-(To be continued...)