Ludhiana: Pushed off train, Jammu youth’s Army dreams dashed

Tribune News Service

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Ludhiana, June 27

A mere objection to smoking by a group of travellers inside a train compartment has turned the world of Jammu-based Tushar Thakur upside down. The 23-year-old, who was on a trip to realise his dream of donning the olive green, was pushed off the moving train by three youths near the Ludhiana railway station, leaving him paralysed from the waist down for life.

The incident occurred on May 19, but the Government Railway Police (GRP) took over a month to register an FIR.

“Tushar was on his way to Ahmedabad to appear for the Service Selection Board (SSB) interview, but the incident has destroyed my son’s career,” rues Virender Singh, a revenue assistant in the power department, Jammu.

After being on ventilator support for over a month at the DMC Hospital, Tushar has regained consciousness but his speech has been impaired. Doctors say his spine has suffered severe damage and that he may not walk for the rest of his life. “Despite the odds, Tushar’s passion for the Army remains unflinching,” he says.

“Though Tushar couldn’t make it to the SSB interview this time, he wants to clear the exam in the coming months again and wear the olive green for the nation,” says his father by his bedside.

Passion to join the Army had Tushar take up the challenge of shunning weight, which stood at 95 kg after he graduated. Working hard to get into shape, he lost 30 kg in three months. “Despite having cleared the SSB exam and interview for the Indian Air Force, Tushar let the opportunity pass to realise his dream of joining the Indian Army. He cleared the SSB for the Army, but couldn’t get through due to issues in his medical test. He cleared the SSB test the third time and was all geared up for the interview. But this tragedy has befallen us,” laments the father.

Questioning the delay in registration of an FIR by the GRP, he says the three unidentified suspects were booked under Section 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the IPC only on June 24.

While the family approached the police 10 days after the incident, the latter dithered saying the doctors had declared him unfit to give a statement. Owing to Tushar’s speech impairment, he gave his statement in writing, on the basis of which a case has now been registered.

In his statement to the police, he states: “On May 19, I boarded AC 3 tier compartment of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Express from Jammu Tawi to attend the SSB interview in Ahmedabad. As the train neared the Ludhiana railway station, I went to the washroom, where three youths of my age were smoking. I objected to it and went inside the lavatory. When I came out, the three pushed me out of the train. I don’t remember anything thereafter.”

“After 10 days of the incident, Tushar conveyed to his mother through gestures that he was pushed out of the train by three youths, following which they approached the railway police, but to no avail,” says his brother. “Had an FIR been lodged initially, the suspects could have been traced,” quips the father.

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