A near-fatal incident late Monday night forced the Jodhpur–Sabarmati Express to come to an emergency halt after a young man climbed onto the roof of the moving train, placing himself dangerously close to a 25,000-volt overhead electric line.

The incident occurred around midnight near Bhinmal in Rajasthan’s Jalore district, close to the Jaswantpura level crossing, roughly 300 metres from Marwar-Bhinmal railway station. Railway officials said the train was stopped for nearly 20 minutes as a precautionary safety measure.

Dangerous stunt caught on video

A video of the incident, which has since surfaced on social media, shows the youth initially hanging from the train’s door before carefully balancing himself and climbing onto the roof while the train was still in motion. At the time, a high-tension overhead equipment (OHE) line carrying approximately 25,000 volts was running directly above the train.

Railway authorities said the act posed an extreme risk of electrocution and could have resulted in a fatal accident within seconds.

“As soon as information was received, the decision was taken to stop the train immediately to prevent a major mishap,” a railway official said.

RPF steps in, youth rescued

Personnel from the Railway Protection Force rushed to the spot after the train was halted. RPF Constable Yogendra Singh climbed onto the roof of the coach and safely apprehended the youth, bringing him down without any injuries.

Officials praised the swift response, noting that any delay could have endangered not only the youth’s life but also passenger safety and train operations.

Inquiry underway

Railway officials said the youth’s actions disrupted train movement and created a serious safety hazard. An inquiry has been launched to determine why the individual climbed onto the roof and whether any preventive measures were violated.

Passengers on board were later informed of the reason for the halt, and the train resumed its journey after the situation was brought under control.

Safety reminder

The incident has once again highlighted the grave dangers of trespassing or attempting stunts on trains, particularly on electrified routes. Railways have repeatedly warned that overhead power lines can cause instant death without direct contact.

Authorities urged passengers and the public to strictly follow safety norms and report any suspicious or dangerous behaviour immediately to railway staff.