A harrowing accident unfolded as heavy rainfall disrupted train services between Thakurli and Kalyan, leading to a heart-wrenching incident where a four-month-old girl was swept away in a nullah.
The incident occurred when Yogita Rumale (25) and her father Gyaneshwar, residents of Bhiwandi, attempted to walk on the track after getting down from a standard local train between the two stations. Both were returning from Mumbai with their four-month-old girl child.
"Tragically, as the train had been stopped for hours due to a flooded track, Yogita and Gyaneshwar decided to get down from the train and started walking on the track, Yogita was holding the baby in her arms while waking but due to slippery surface and raining she lost her balance and fell down" said GRP official adding that after that Yogita's father Gyaneshwar decided to take the baby in his arms but unfortunately he also lost the balance and the 4-month-old baby slipped from his arms and fell into the overflowing water in the nullah.
Gyaneshwar immediately tried to rescue the baby but failed.
Railway police launch search operation
Archana Dusane, senior inspector of Government Railway Police Dombivli said, "Despite Gyaneshwar's immediate rescue attempts, the swift current of the nullah presented a formidable challenge, rendering the rescue efforts futile."
Yogita Rumale and her father Gyaneshwar were on their way from Mumbai to Bhiwandi with 4 month old girl after a visit to KEM hospital. The government railway police, along with the Railway Protection Force (RPF), promptly rushed to the site upon receiving information about the incident. Local volunteers also joined the rescue operation, which was later supported by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local police teams.
Search ops halted due to fading light
However, due to darkness, the operation was halted at around 6:30 PM. Authorities have announced that rescue efforts will resume on Thursday morning.
The tragedy has deeply affected the local community, who have offered assistance and support to the rescue teams. Residents from nearby areas have also contributed to the search efforts.
As the region continues to experience heavy rain and potential flooding, authorities are urging the public to exercise extreme caution during travel and outdoor activities.
