Mumbai: An 80-year-old man who fled a hospital where he was being treated for COVID1-19 was run over by a Shramik Special train near Kandivali station on Monday morning, when he was trying to cross the railway tracks after leaving the hospital.
The senior citizen, Vitthal Mulye, a resident of Kurar Village in Malad (E), was admitted for coronavirus treatment at a hospital in Kandivali (West) over the past weekend; he sneaked past the guards at the hospital on Monday morning, following which the incident took place. An Accidental Death Report has been registered by the Government Railway Police (GRP).
According to the Borivali GRP, Mulye, who had tested positive for COVID-19, was admitted at the Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital in Kandivali (West) on June 6. His wife and grandson were lodged in a quarantine facility, while his son stays in Dombivali. Sources said Mulye wanted to go home, but since he was a COVID-19 patient, he was asked to stay back and complete the treatment.
Early morning on Monday, Mulye managed to sneak out of the hospital and walked towards Kandivali railway station, which is not too far from the hospital. Police suspect Mulye was heading home to Kurar village and wanted to cross the railway tracks to go from Kandivali west to east. Unfortunately, a Shramik Special Train, which was passing through, hit Mulye and ran over him at around 7am.
The GRP found Mulye's body lying on the tracks after receiving an alert. The police said the senior citizen had grievous injuries. "Since he had no identification on him, we took him to Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital, where we learnt about his identity and realised he was the runaway patient they were looking for. We registered an Accidental Death Report in the matter," said a GRP officer.
While the GRP are yet to ascertain if it was an accident or suicide, they will be recording the statement of the motorman of the Shramik Special train that ran over Mulye. An officer said Mulye's body will be handed over to the civic authorities for cremation.
