Rajasthan: Two schoolgoing cousins, a brother, and a sister, lost their lives today in the Banar area of Rajasthan's Jodhpur as they were struck by a train while trying to run away from aggressive dogs chasing them. According to the police, the heart-wrenching event took place in the afternoon when Yuvraj and Ananya, students at Jodhpur Army Children Academy School, were returning from the school.
According to the officials, a group of pet dogs from a neighbour's house started chasing them, prompting both children to run for safety. However, both mounted a railway track and were hit by a goods train. Both children lost their lives a few metres away from the Banad Cantt railway station, the police said.
The saddened family and people from the nearby area protested and called for action against the dog owner. Residents claimed that the owner keeps many dogs in his house, and these dogs bark at people passing by, making the area unsafe. A group gathered at the railway track, placed the bodies of the victims, and demanded strict action. The fathers of the victims, who served in the army and now work in a private institution after retiring, received support from the crowd. The police have filed a case against the dog owner and his relatives.
"The police received a call around 2 pm regarding the incident and the team responded immediately. The families kept the bodies on the track as a mark of protest, which lasted for almost three hours. The police persuaded the families and requested them to allow the bodies to be taken to the hospital for a post-mortem," Najim Ali, Assistant Commissioner of Jodhpur Police said.
At the same time, legal proceedings were initiated against the owner of the dogs, and the municipal team was called in to take away four dogs from the property and relocate them to the municipal dog centre.