By: Ram Parmar
February 11, 2005
Palghar: Mohammed Illyas Ali (44) of Vapi wanted to reach Mumbai fast and cheap. So he chose to travel on the rooftop of the 2954 Up New Delhi-Mumbai August Kranti Rajdhani Express. But his joyride ended soonas he was detrained by alert signaling staff at Palghar, last week.
According to reports, Illyas, a father of six and a carpenter by profession, wanted to meet his friend at Goregaon. At Vapi station, hepurchased a Rs 25 shuttle ticket for Borivali.
But suddenly he spotted the Rajdhani Express, which had halted at Vapi, and without thinking twice, climbed on the rooftop of the S-7 bogie andstayed put.
The train hurtled at a top speed of 120 kmph, but it did not frighten Illyas, who waved at shocked bystanders when the train whizzed paststations.
However, the Vangaon signal staff did not find it amusing and promptly informed the Boisar station, who were unable to halt the train on time.
It was when the train halted for a minute at Palghar station that Illyas was arrested by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and charged under Section 156 (rooftop travelling), said sub-inspector M S Thakur, chief, RPF, Palghar. Illyas has been produced before the Vasai Railwaycourt.
