Shock, sorrow in Budgam as teenager killed on railway track

Srinagar, Oct 29: The death of a teenager from central Kashmir’s Budgam district, who was crushed after being hit by the train, has left the residents in a state of shock.

According to locals, the boy was identified as Imran Nazir whose body parts were found scattered on the railway track on Tuesday morning.

“It came as a shock for us after we heard about his death,” said Bilal Ahmad Pandit, a close friend of Nazir.

Locals remembered him as a generous and gentle boy of the locality who had memorised the holy Quran by heart in December 2023.

“Just two months ago his family also held a function in his honour as he memorised the holy Quran at a young age,” said Bilal Ahmad Pandit. “He was just like my younger brother. He was a pious soul and would occasionally lead the prayers in our Masjid.”

Pandit said that Nazir was earlier enrolled at a Dar-ul-Uloom in Srinagar and later was enrolled at a Dar-ul-Uloom in Pampore where he memorised the holy Quran.

“Officials say that young boys put on ear pods and take pictures on railway tracks but Imran was a gentle boy. He was not into these things,” another friend said. “He was my friend and my neighbour.”

However, the locals complained that soon after the incident occurred near Rusoo Budgam on the railway track, around 10 to 12 boys of the locality rushed to the spot.

“Surprisingly, we did not find anyone from the railway security staff there at the track,” Pandit said.

He said that the security staff usually entrusted to remain stationed at the railway track was not present.

“We could only see the body parts and informed the authorities through locals. It is yet to be ascertained whether he was crossing the track or walking on the track,” Pandit said.

Nazir was laid to rest at Chekpora Graveyard in his locality at around 3 pm.

Following the incident, locals expressed concern over the absence of the Government Railway Police (GRP) on the track.

“The railway track from Banihal to Baramulla is laid in such a way that it has divided the land of the locals. So, people have to cross the track at various spots to visit their orchards or paddy fields,” a local said.

The locals said the GRP should have been present at the spot as per their duty roster.

Amid the complaints, a Railway Police official said that they deploy around three personnel every 1 km to alert the people.

“We have even appealed to the people several times not to walk on railway tracks but unfortunately such incidents still occur,” the Railway Police official said.