Mentally ill man takes child thrown from train to hospital

An 11-year-old child who used to sell water bottles on trains has been taken to hospital by a mentally ill man after being pushed off a moving train. The child said he was pushed down from the running train. Later, a mentally ill man took the blood-stained child, who was lying beside the railway line, to hospital. The incident took place in Kulaura of Moulvibazar on Wednesday (September 2) afternoon.

The identity of the injured child could not be confirmed yet. He could not provide the mobile phone number of any relative either. However, the identity of the man who took the child to hospital has been confirmed. His name is Khokon Chowdhury, 48. His home is in Tetua village under Jorarganj police station of Chattogram. His wife Sandhya Rani works as a village police member. Relatives said Khokon was once a village doctor.

Sources at Kulaura Upazila Health Complex said several people from Chhakapan area of the upazila took the injured child and Khokon Chowdhury to the emergency department of the hospital around 4pm on Wednesday. There were marks of injury on different parts of the child’s body. Later he was admitted to the hospital. On receiving the information, police of Kulaura Railway Police Station and officials of the upazila social services office went to the hospital, talked to them and tried to know about the incident.

Sub-inspector (SI) of Kulaura Railway Police Station Amar Chandra Biswas said the identity of Khokon Chowdhury has been confirmed after verifying the name and address given by him. From his relatives it has been learnt that he has been ill for several days. He often leaves home without informing anyone and returns home after roaming different places for a few days. Relatives have set out for Kulaura to take him home.

Police said Khokon Chowdhury saw the child lying in a blood-stained condition while walking along the railway line. Thinking that the child needed treatment, he set out to take him to hospital. At that time local people detained him. However, Khokon could not say anything about how the child was injured.

Doctor Anika Kasem of Kulaura Upazila Health Complex said there is apprehension of internal bone fractures in several places of the child’s body including the neck. Primary treatment has been given to him and advice has been given to take him to Moulvibazar for advanced treatment.

SI Amar Chandra Biswas said the child was sleeping under the influence of medicine from Wednesday afternoon. He woke up for some time at night. While talking to officials of the social services office at that time, the child said he used to sell water bottles on trains. Several persons took the money he had and pushed him off the moving train. He does not remember what happened after that. The child could not even say his own name and address.

The police officer said although Khokon Chowdhury is mentally ill, he has shown humanity towards the child. He sat beside the sleeping child in the hospital throughout the night and occasionally stroked his head.

Child protection worker of Kulaura Upazila Social Services Office Jahanara Begum said doctors have informed that the child’s physical condition is not good. Arrangement is being made to send him to the 250-bed hospital at Moulvibazar district headquarters for advanced treatment.