Author: Nimisha Srivastava
Publication: IBNLive.com
Date: November 30, 2008
URL:
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/railway-timetable-announcer-saves-lives-at-the-cst/79395-3.html
The indiscriminate firing by terrorists at
the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) in Mumbai took many lives. However,
many other lives were saved because of one ordinary Mumbaikar who announces
railway timetables for a living.
It was a usual evening shift for VD Zhende,
making announcements of suburban train arrivals and departures from his small
office room, overlooking the CST in south Mumbai when two terrorists entered
near the main line and started firing at the passengers.
VD Zhende says, "I heard a loud explosion and then I saw public running.
So, we started announcing for the government railway police (GRP) and the
railway protection force (RPF)."
However, the police for some reason did not
appear on time.
"Only when public started coming with
blood all over, I realised that there was some gunfight happening. So I started
announcing that all passengers go out from platform 1 and not go towards the
main line, recalls Zhende.
The announcer and his colleague only hid from
the gunfire.after the platform was completely evacuated and a bullets were
fired at them.
Co-worker Shekhar says, "They (terrorists)
were standing right in front of us for half an hour. They had huge guns and
grenades."
When the terrorists reached the suburban line,
a platform generally milling with people, was already evacuated.
The presence of mind of one man saved hundreds
of lives on the evening of November 26.
