Two boys booked for making reels on rail tracks

Bhubaneswar: Two boys were booked for making a social media video lying on the railway tracks in Bolangir district, officials said on Monday. The RPF filed the case after coming across the video on social media.

Investigation found that the video, in which one of the boys was seen lying on the concrete sleepers with a train approaching, was shot between Purnapani and Jharmunda railway stations. The two boys, one 12 and another 15 years old, were taken to the RPF post in Bolangir along with their parents for legal action, officials said.

A case was registered under sections 153, 145(b) and 147 of the Railways Act, they said, noting that further legal proceedings were underway in accordance with the Juvenile Justice Act. The local police and the villagers assisted the RPF in identifying the two boys who live near the Purnapani station.

While the 12-year-old appeared in the video, the elder boy shot it on his mobile phone and uploaded it as a reel. The East Coast Railway appealed to parents and teachers to counsel children against such reckless acts. “Railway tracks are not places for stunts or social media content. Trespassing for entertainment endangers lives and disrupts operations,” the ECoR stated in a release. “Your life is precious. Say no to stunts on tracks. Stay safe, stay away from railway lines,” the ECoR stated, stressing that such actions are not only illegal but can also be fatal.