Indian baby unhurt after falling onto train tracks
NEW DELHI An Indian baby who was dropped onto railway tracks moments before a train left the station has escaped unscathed.
Dramatic video, captured on a mobile phone yesterday, showed a train rolling past the infant in northern Uttar Pradesh state as screaming onlookers stand by helplessly.
The one-year-old reportedly fell into the gap between the carriage and the platform as the girl's parents stepped off the train.
She was wedged flat on her back alongside the track as the train left the platform, picking up speed and thundering past, just missing her.
Once the train passed, a man quickly scooped up the tiny child. Though she was crying after the terrifying incident, she appeared unhurt.
Indian media reported that the girl's parents lost their grip on the child as a crowd surged from the train onto the platform in Mathura city.
Sonu, father of the girl named Sahiba, told the Times of India: "We were getting down from the train when it started moving. My wife, who was holding Sahiba, was pushed by someone as the train was very crowded, causing our daughter to fall on the tracks."
Indian railway officials said the lucky escape was a reminder to be cautious at all times on crowded trains.
"We are actively running campaigns to sensitise people against travelling on rooftops or standing on foot boards of the train doors," said railway spokesman G. K. Bansal. - AFP
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