LUCKNOW: A toddler suffered severe burns during an anti-encroachment drive at Charbagh railway station on Saturday. While trying to dismantle shanties of ragpickers from the station premises, a railway protection force (RPF) sub-inspector kicked at a pressure cooker carrying daal (pulses) on a burning stove and the boiling liquid spilled on the child, scalding his right arm.
The incident which went viral on social media took place near a railway toilet, where ragpickers reside in makeshift shanties. The toddler’s mother, Rekha alias Anju, said, “Two cops, including a sub-inspector suddenly barged into our hut and began tossing our household stuff. My son suffered burns after a cop suddenly kicked at a pressure cooker in which pulses was being cooked.” These ragpickers are often summoned by railway authorities to pick bodies from railway tracks and are paid for the service.
TOI made several attempts to contact railway officials, including senior commandant, RPF, Lucknow division, senior divisional commercial manager and divisional railway manager, Lucknow, but none responded.
However, Mukesh Kumar, SHO, RPF, Charbagh said, “An anti-encroachment drive was conducted, but allegations of SI kicking at a pressure cooker which caused burn injuries to a toddler are untrue.”
Responding to TOI query, divisional railway manager of Lucknow division, Sanjay Tripathi said, "We have ordered an enquiry into the incident by a lady officer- those found responsible will not be spared."
