After 30 km walk, pals ‘track’ hurt man

P Kakum Perumal (40), the injured person, is now undergoing treatment at a hospital in Chennai. About a month ago, Perumal and three friends had come from Tenkasi to Chennai, where they have been working as construction labourers. Ahead of Tamil New year, the friends decided to visit their native and boarded in the unreserved compartment of Podhigai Express from Chennai Egmore station on Monday night. 

When the train was speeding past Chengalpattu Junction near Othivakkam, Perumal, who was standing near the door, slipped and fell off the train. Though his friends pulled the emergency chain, the train stopped only at Villupuram station, about 75 km from the spot.

His friends Mariyappan and two others alerted the officials at Villupuram, who in turn passed the information to Chengalpattu GRP and RPF personnel. Meanwhile, the trio took a bus to reach Melmaruvathur station, and began walking along the track in search of Perumal. By this time, Kancheepuram SP Santhosh Hadimani had formed a search team. Around 4 am, police team joined Mariyappan and the other two. It was the railway gangmen, who were inspecting the tracks, who found Perumal in a bush along the track near Tirumani station around 8 am. 

Soon police and his friends rushed to the spot and took Perumal to Chengalpattu government hospital. From there, he was referred to the Government Hospital in Chennai where he is undergoing treatment.