Mystery of missing railway stretchers continues, two of 11 found near tracks

In August, the CR had put 14 stretchers in seven local trains to help carry victims in case of accidents. However, soon after, 11 of the 14 stretchers were reported missing, with authorities alleging that they were stolen. The stretchers were put in the luggage compartment, after a suggestion from relatives of deceased Dhaval Lodaya (18), who died in a derailment accident on March 20. His kin had alleged that the railways failed to provide timely medical assistance, including carrying Lodaya to the hospital.

With 11 stretchers allegedly stolen, the CR administration fears a big gang at work and now plans to cancel the proposal to put stretchers in trains in future. Soon after the initial thefts, the RPF formed special teams to locate the stretchers, each estimated to cost Rs1, 800. The stretchers were installed as  part of the CR’s pilot project to provide medical facility for carriage of injured passengers to medical vans in case of a railway accident.

“We are on the look out for the miscreants, who must have stolen the stretchers at night, when the trains are stabled for maintenance,” Mukesh Nigam, Divisional Railway Manager, CR.

Though railway authorities had locked the stretchers with chains, officers feel  that it is still unsafe to leave the portable apparatus unmanned in local trains,  especially when the trains are stabled at night.

A proposal to have the stretchers in motor-cab was ruled out due space  constraints and a decision to put the stretchers in the luggage compartment  was taken by railway authorities.

“We have to see whether the theft is committed by a single person or a gang. If it is detected that there is big gang, then there it no point in going ahead with the scheme,” said a senior official, who did not wish to be named.kalpana.verma@expressindia.com