A 28-year-old army serviceman travelling with his family to Maddur in Mandya was allegedly pushed off a moving train by a group of men who attempted to rob him of his mobile phone.

The incident occurred at Nayandanahalli railway station in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Made Gowda was on leave from his posting in Bathinda, Punjab and was travelling to his native place with his wife and their four-year-old son. He boarded the Tuticorin Express train at Bengaluru city station around 7.20 a.m with his family. During the journey, Made left for the washroom but did not return.

His wife Deepa began worrying around 20 minutes later but she could not get through to her husband over the phone. To her horror, she realised that he was pushed out of the train by a gang of men when he went to the washroom.

“In her statement, she said she raised the alarm for help, but no one came to her aid. Finally a passenger, identified as Chethan, pulled the chain to stop the train. He helped Deepa and the child with their luggage as they got off the train and accompanied them in their search for Made Gowda on the tracks,” said a police official speaking to The Hindu.

After a while, Deepa was asked to sit while Chethan continued the search for Made. He walked for 4 km towards the city railway station after which he found Made Gowda lying unconscious close to the tracks. He informed alerted the city police control room. Made Gowda, who sustained multiple injuries, is in the ICU of the Command Hospital.

Deepa filed a complaint with the city railway police seeking action against the thieves who shoved Madegowda off the train while trying to rob him. No arrests have been made so far in the case, reported Deccan Herald.

Edit: The article has been updated to state that Chethan is a co-passenger on the train.