At a time when grim reports of the coronavirus pandemic have clasped the nation, the story of braveheart Mayur Shelke comes as a breath of fresh air.
In a supremely courageous act, Poinstman Mayur Shelke, had recently risked his own life to save the life of the child who had fallen on the railway tracks of Vangani Station of Central Railway in Thane on April 17. The child was walking with his visually impaired mother when he suddenly fell on the tracks. The woman, unable to see her son, was helplessly calling for help while a train was fast approaching on the very same tracks.
For his act of bravery, the Ministry of Railways had awarded him Rs 50,000, half of which Shelke has now decided to donate to the visually impaired mother and her child.
He also urged the people wanting to meet him and award him for his selfless act to instead donate to the mother and child duo.
“These are difficult times of Covid-19 pandemic and all those who wish to donate money, hand over cheques to me can offer the money to the mother and the child or any other needy in these times,” he said in an appeal on social media.
I’ll give half of the amount, given to me as token of appreciation, for that child’s welfare & education. I came to know that his family isn’t financially strong. So I decided this: Mayur Shelkhe, pointsman who saved a child who fell on tracks at Vangani railway station on 17.04 pic.twitter.com/IWdacY0DFf
— ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2021
Shelke was welcomed with a round of applause and was felicitated by the railway staff at the Central Railway office for his bravery.
#WATCH | Maharashtra: Railway staff at Central Railway office clap for pointsman Mayur Shelkhe, who saved the life of a child who lost his balance while walking at platform 2 of Vangani railway station & fell on railway tracks, on 17th April. Shelkhe was also felicitated. (19.04) pic.twitter.com/6L8l3VmLlQ
— ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2021
In a heart-wrenching incident that was captured by the CCTV footage of the railway platform, a visually-challenged woman was seen walking on the platform when her 6-year-old child walking beside her suddenly stumbled and fell onto the railway tracks below.
Pointsman Shelke sprinted on the tracks, pushed the child back on the platform and pulled himself up in time, just as the high-speed Bengaluru-Mumbai Udayan Express train was seen approaching on the same track.
#WATCH | Maharashtra: A pointsman in Mumbai Division, Mayur Shelkhe saves life of a child who lost his balance while walking at platform 2 of Vangani railway station & fell on railway tracks, while a train was moving in his direction. (17.04.2021)
— ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2021
(Video source: Central Railway) pic.twitter.com/6bVhTqZzJ4
The passerbys on the platform immediately rushed to the spot to check on them. Fortunately all went unhurt.
The video soon went viral on social media and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal personally congratulated Shelke on the phone and said that the railway family was proud of him.
