Mangaluru: A trio of local workers turned heroes on March 26 when they stumbled upon a faint cry while tending to a pipeline well near Sunnaje. Their quick thinking led them to alert social activist, who raced to the scene and found Uday Kumar, a young man injured and stranded in a drain. The discovery ended a 15-hour nightmare that began when Kumar slipped from a moving train the night before.

After his rescue, Kumar was whisked away by ambulance to a Mangaluru hospital, where he’s being treated for serious injuries to his face and leg. Police coordinated the swift transfer following his discovery, ensuring he got medical attention after enduring hours in a desolate spot near Savanoor. His condition remains a concern, but he’s now in capable hands thanks to the timely intervention.

The trouble started late on March 25, around 11 pm, when Kumar, en route from Kumta to Bengaluru via Mangaluru, lost his footing and tumbled from the train near Sunnaje. The deserted stretch, marked by a steep slope, sent him sliding 25 feet into a drain, out of sight and reach.

Passengers who saw him fall notified the railway master at the next stop, but with no clear pinpoint on where he had landed, a search could not kick off as of now, leaving Kumar stranded until the next day’s chance encounter.