A man was electrocuted and a minor boy was burnt while they were trying to take a selfie on a train roof in Jamshedpur on Sunday.

Mohammad Faisal, 20, and Mohammad Naved , 11, both residents of Maqdampur under Parsudih police station went on top of an empty goods train, standing near Salgajhuri cabin, around 5km from Tatanagar railway station. Both had been taking selfies when they touched the high-tension wire. Faisal got stuck in the wire; Naved fell from the train roof, getting an electric shock. Faisal died on the spot, while the boy was admitted to Tata Main Hospital with serious burn injuries.

The train (tanker wagon) was going to Nimpura yard and it was waiting for a signal at Salgajhuri when the man and boy climbed up on the roof.

Tatanagar railway station director HK Balmuchu said that it was an unfortunate incident and the railway would conduct an enquiry. “People should not put their life at risk and put train property in danger for taking selfies and doing stunts on railway tracks and around the train,” he added.

He said that the Tatanagar railway administration had improved security at railway stations and trains. Government Rail Police (GRP) personnel were paying special attention if young men tried stunts on tracks or near trains.

A 15-year-old boy died in January this year when he was hit by a train while taking a selfie on railway tracks at Perumbilly in Kochi.

Railway security personnel have been facing problems in controlling such incidents, said railway officials said.

Sources said that the Indian Railways was working on measures to prevent train passengers and enthusiasts from taking selfies at tracks. Special selfie spaces or corners have been finalised with an objective to popularise the rail history.

Indian’s oldest steam locomotives, in Chennai, at the entrance of the Southern Railway Headquarters building had been beautified as a selfie corner, sources said.

First Published: Feb 11, 2019 11:05 IST