Beware! Selfie on railway tracks may land you in jail

Srinath Vudali| TNN | Updated: Apr 2, 2018, 

Representative image

HYDERABAD: Taking a selfie by trespassing on to railway tracks or railway property, which may pose danger to one’s own security or others or lead to disruption of train services, might land you in jail.

Railway police have started a campaign to inform people not to do adventures while taking selfies, which might pose danger and affect railway services. In the last three months, as per a South Central Rail (SCR) note, two selfie-related incidents were reported. A youth was injured while taking a selfie video with the backdrop of a running MMTS at Borabanda in the city, while aman died while clicking a selfie in Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh.

On January 22, T Shiva, whose video of near the Bharat Nagar-Borabanda railway track went viral, was convicted by a railway court. “He was handed out a punishment of five-day simple imprisonment or pay a penalty of Rs 500. The convict Shiva paid Rs 500 fine," said a note issued by SCR, giving details from railway police, on the request of TOI.

In the Kakinada incident, which took place on January 15 in Kovvur yard, SCR officials said a person died while taking selfie in the yard by climbing on an oil tanker. He suffered shock due to the presence of high voltage OHE transaction, wherein he received severe burn injuries. He was shifted to government hospital, where he succumbed.

Railway police said people taking selfies, which might have dangerous consequences, would be booked under Section 147 of the Railway Act. “The patrolling teams were sensitised to crack down on people indulging in crazy actions through selfie. To bring awareness among people, we have been appealing people to be responsible through public announcements. If actions of people whose acts endanger others or affect train service, a criminal case will be booked and they will be produced in court," superintendent of police, Government Railway Police, Secunderabad, G Ashok Kumar told TOI.