Athletes forced to jump off moving train as official throws out equipment; Indian Railways springs into action

Three athletes jumped off a moving train at the Rajahmundry station in Andhra Pradesh to save their poles after a Railway Police Force official cut the ropes that tied the equipment to windows of the train. The incident triggered controversy and now Indian Railways is planning to draft a sports equipment policy that will mandate how sports goods can be transported, The Indian Express reported on Saturday.

According to the report, Indian Railways has asked its staff to be mindful of the hardships sportspersons face, asking them to be ‘polite and courteous’. The concerned railway departments have reportedly been in consultations with the stakeholders to understand the issue.

What happened in Rajahmundry?

Five Indian athletes — three pole vaulters and two heptathletes — had boarded a train to return to Salem from Bhubaneswar after participating in the Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition.

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The group was carrying eight poles with them with each of them worth over a lakh of rupees. Due to the rush in train, the athletes had to tie these poles to the windows. However, at the Rajahmundry station, a passenger complained about the poles and a railway official cut the ropes securing the poles. The equipment fell on the track as the train started moving.

Fearing that their costly poles will get under some train and break apart, Kavinraja, the reigning U20 Federation Cup champion, jumped off the moving train. Two other athletes also followed him and they managed to secure the poles without them getting damaged.

The athletes said that the railway officials were rude to them and wanted to extract money for carrying large equipment.

Sports ministry and Indian Railways working together

Earlier this year, national record holder Kuldeep Kumar and then-national record holder Dev Meena were asked to deboard at Panvel station while travelling to Madhya Pradesh. This incident reached sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya which triggered conversations around a policy for carrying such equipment.

“Following an earlier incident at the start of the year, of pole vault athletes having difficulty in boarding a train with their equipment, the sports ministry had asked the railway ministry to find a solution. The sports ministry is hopeful that rules for transporting sports equipment will be notified soon,” a sports ministry source told The Indian Express.

“The issue of carrying sports equipment has come to the attention of the railway administration. Proactive action is being taken. Because it is a sports-related issue, the railways are in touch with the sports ministry to address policy issues and had to get details like the equipment size, what kind of equipment, etc,” a railway official said.

Regarding this, the Central Railways has written to its staff to be polite and considerate in their approach.

“It has been observed that sportspersons frequently travel by train while carrying sports equipment of large size and dimensions, such as kits, bags, poles, specialised gear etc., for participation in National and state level championships.

"In this regard, all are advised to maintain a polite, courteous and considerate approach while dealing with such passengers. Their equipment, though bulky, is essential for participation in the competitions and should be handled with understanding. While ensuring compliance with railway rules regarding luggage, staff must avoid rude behaviour or harassment. Special care should be taken to uphold the image of Indian Railways as a passenger-friendly organisation,” the letter mentioned.