Bhubaneswar: A youth sustained serious injuries after reportedly coming in contact with the high-voltage Overhead Electric (OHE) system at Mancheswar Railway Station in Bhubaneswar during the early hours of Sunday.

According to railway officials, the incident occurred when the youth allegedly climbed onto a stationary loaded wagon standing on Railway Track No. 07. During the act, he came dangerously close to the live OHE wire and suffered an electric shock before falling beside the railway track.

On-duty personnel of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) immediately rushed to the spot and shifted the injured youth to the Railway Hospital in an ambulance for emergency treatment. After preliminary medical care, he was later referred to a government hospital for further treatment. Officials said the injured person was conscious.

East Coast Railway warns against climbing Railway wagons

Following the incident, East Coast Railway (ECoR) renewed its appeal to passengers and the general public, especially youths, to stay away from railway wagons, electric poles, coaches and other railway structures for selfies, photography, videography or social media content creation.

Railway authorities cautioned that the OHE system used for train operations carries extremely high-voltage electricity and can cause severe injuries or death even without direct physical contact. Officials warned that merely going too close to the overhead wire may trigger electric arcing, leading to serious accidents.

ECoR stated that awareness campaigns are regularly conducted through station announcements, posters, counselling sessions, public advisories and social media outreach to educate people about the dangers of trespassing and unsafe activities within railway premises.

Railways also reminded the public that such risky acts are punishable under relevant provisions of the Railways Act.

Indian Railways reiterated that railway tracks and electrical installations are highly sensitive operational zones and stressed that public cooperation is essential to prevent such unfortunate incidents.