Maharashtra: Cops walk 4 km carrying injured woman on makeshift stretcher
Pune, Jun 3: A team of policemen walked 4 km carrying a woman on a makeshift stretcher to a hospital after she was found injured near rail tracks in the Western Ghats section between Khandala and Karjat stations in Maharashtra.
The woman is now recuperating at a government hospital in Pune and is reported to be in a stable condition, officials said on Thursday.
According to the railway police, the incident took place on Monday when the woman, Asha Waghmare (42), was found lying besides the tracks near Jamrung in the ghat section.
A team of four-five policeman rushed there and carried the woman on a makeshift stretcher made of saree and bamboo sticks in the hilly section.
They later used an ambulance to rush her to a primary health care centre in Karjat, around 120 km from Mumbai.
"On Monday, we received information from the Lonavla railway station master that a woman was lying near the tracks in the ghat section near Jamrung," Lonavla railway police sub-inspector Vishnu Gosavi told PTI.
Since the spot was 20 to 22 km away from Lonavla, officials from the Karjat railway station, which was relatively closer to the spot, were informed, he said.
A team of policemen and porters from the Karjat railway station immediately to the spot.
The woman, who had received injuries on her back, was found lying near the tracks. Since it is a hilly terrain with a deep gorge on one side, it was difficult to arrange any transport to take her to hospital, said Gosavi.
"Hence, the policemen, without wasting any time, prepared a makeshift stretcher with a saree and bamboo sticks and walked at least 4 km carrying the woman to reach Palasdhari railway station," he said.
In the meantime, an ambulance was called at the Palasdhari station.
"From there, the policemen ferried the woman in the ambulance to a hospital in Karjat. She was later taken to the government-run Sassoon General Hospital in Pune for further treatment," he said.
The woman is now recuperating at the hospital, the official said, adding that she is a resident of a nearby hamlet in the ghat section.
"As per information provided by the woman, she got injured after being hit by a running train at a curve in the ghat section while she was trying to cross the railway tracks," the official said.
Her family members were tracked and informed about the incident, he said.
A senior railway police official lauded the rescue team, comprising policemen P M Sarkale, D K Gangurde, M P Gaikwad, P A Turdar and a Homeguard.
"They did a commendable job and would be rewarded," he said.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
