RPF staff stall elderly woman’s suicide attempt

Jaipur: An 81-year-old woman, who attempted suicide by lying down on the railway tracks at Gandhi Nagar railway station, was saved by the on-duty staff of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), on Friday afternoon. The woman, who was struggling with old-age health issues, was consoled and handed over to her family members.
RPF staff at all-woman Gandhi Nagar railway station, around 2.15pm, was shocked to see a woman lying down on the railway tracks. “On-duty RPF staff lady constable Meera, Rameshi Bai and Manju saw the lady and removed her from the track. After counselling, the woman revealed that her name was Kaushalaya Sharma and that she was attempting suicide due to her illness. It was difficult initially, as the woman was neither carrying any mobile phone nor could she remember any contact numbers,” Tarun Jain, chief public relations officer, NWR told TOI.

The RPF official asked her if she remembers the address of her residence. “She was taken in a vehicle to her house and handed over to her family members. The family was also searching for her. She remembered her address properly which helped us to ensure her safe return,” said Neelu Gothwal, inspector of RPF posted at Gandhi Nagar railway station, who accompanied the police team that dropped the elderly woman to her house in Mahesh Nagar.

Though attempting suicide on railway tracks is a crime of trespassing, but the RPF staff showing their humanitarian side, consoled the woman. “This is the difference. Since the RPF staff were women, the elderly lady could share her plight, that helped her to dampen her anger and depression that initially urged her to take the extreme step,” said an RPF staff, on condition of anonymity.