Bengaluru Metro tragedy: Man jumps before train at Doddakallasandra station, dies

"He was waiting alone on platform number 1 to catch a train towards Nagasandra when he jumped in front of the approaching train. The loco pilot was able to halt the train immediately, but it ran over him. The train had to be reversed to retrieve the body. His body was removed from the track at around 7:30 pm," a Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) told Moneycontrol.

This is the second case of suicide by jumping in front of Metro trains this year. BMRCL chief public relations officer BL Yashwanth Chavan said:"The body has been removed by the police and taken to a hospital for a postmortem. Further investigation is on."

Following this, Metro services between Yelachenahalli and Silk Institute stations on the Green Line (Silk Institute - Nagasandra) were disrupted between 5:45 pm. and 8:45 pm. "Normal operations on the entire Green Line resumed at 8:45 pm" said Chavan.

Also read: Bengaluru: Teen jumps before Metro train, dies; services disrupted

Many passengers were stranded at stations and on trains due to service disruptions following the incident.  BMRCL provided a ladder-like platform for passengers to alight from the train, which had halted around 300-400 meters away from Doddakallasandra Metro Station. Passengers, especially those with luggage, as well as senior citizens and children, had a tough time walking while holding the railings along a narrow pathway beside the elevated track for about ten minutes to reach platform 2 of Doddakallasandra Metro station.

"My parents and I were stuck in the Metro train just before Doddakallasandra station around 5:45 pm for about 25 minutes. Power and AC were out. Security personnel from the nearby station reached the train and helped the loco-pilot open the door," Sanket Dixit, a passenger told Moneycontrol.

"It was a harrowing experience. The loco pilot struggled to open the ladder (walkway) to help passengers move to the side of the tracks. Also, only one door of the train was open after 25 minutes, and passengers had to deboard through" he said.

Copy-cat suicides

While there have been several suicide attempts in the past, this is the third time a person has died after jumping onto the tracks in Bengaluru Metro. In March 2024, a 19-year-old  law student jumped in front of a train at Attiguppe station on the Purple Line on March 21. In 2012, just 120 days after Metro operations began, a 17-year-old died after jumping in front of a train at MG Road Metro station.

"We are looking at recent deaths and suicide attempts at Metro stations. We alsourge passengers to seek help rather than resort to such measures. We are examining the issue comprehensively and consulting with the government and stakeholders. We are also considering putting suicide prevention helpline numbers at stations and on trains," BMRCL Managing Director M Maheshwar Rao  told Moneycontrol.

Abdul Aleem of Changemakers of Kanakapura Road, a consortium of more than 80 RWAs, said: "BMRCL should install platform screen doors to prevent such incidents from happening again. These incidents not only claim lives but also disrupt the transport system and affect Metro's revenue". TV Mohandas Pai, chairman of Aarin Capital also urged BMRCL to install safety gates at all stations.

In June 2024, a male passenger jumped in front of a train at Hosahalli Metro station on the Purple Line, suffering minor head injuries and causing a disruption in services for half an hour. In January 2024, a 23-year-old man from Kerala sustained head injuries after jumping onto the tracks at Jalahalli Metro station.

Also, read: Bengaluru Metro incident: 4 year old boy jumps onto track at Byappanahalli station, rescued safely

There have been other instances of passengers falling onto Metro tracks. On August 1, a four-year-old boy jumped onto the tracks at Byappanahalli. Passengers, aided by authorities who had switched off the power supply, managed to rescue the boy, and he suffered no major injuries. In January, a woman jumped onto the Metro railway track at Indiranagar station to retrieve her fallen mobile phone.

Platform screendoors

Currently, none of the stations in Bengaluru have platform screen doors (PSDs). However, two existing underground Metro stations in Bengaluru will soon have PSDs installed. BMRC said PSDs will be added at Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Station (Majestic) and Sir M Visvesvaraya Station (Central College). Infosys Foundation is also planning to install platform screen doors at Konappana Agrahara station.

Also, read: In a first, Bengaluru Metro to install platform screen doors at two existing stations

PSDs, which act as protective barriers between the platform and the tracks, play a crucial role in preventing incidents such as accidental falls and suicides. They are synchronised with Metro coach doors, opening only after the train has come to a complete stop. Metro systems in Delhi and Chennai have already implemented PSDs, particularly at underground stations.

BMRCL officials said PSDs will be installed at 12 underground stations along the Pink Line (Kalena Agrahara-Nagawara) as part of Phase 2, which is also aimed at reducing air conditioning costs. Meanwhile, Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited, responsible for the Bengaluru suburban rail project, has decided to install PSDs/platform edge doors at all stations from the beginning.

Also, read: Bengaluru Metro's new stations to get platform screen doors; Alstom lowest bidder

(If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or require emotional support, please contact Tele Manas at 14416, state government's health helpline Arogya Sahayavani (104), Parivarthan (7676 602 602),SAHAI (080 25497777, 9886444075), Sa-Mudra Yuva Helpline (9880396331) )