– Sami Ahmad
Patna, June 6: Mohammad Shahbaz was felicitated by DRM (Divisional Railway Manager), Samastipur on Wednesday for his effort that averted a possible train collision. DRM Samastipur announced the name of Shahbaz would be recommended for the National Child Award.
Twelve-year-old Shahbaz raised a red piece of cloth (Gamchha) on June 1 near Tajpur road to caution the loco pilot of the Howrah-Kathgodam Bagh Express as the track was cracked which could have caused an accident. The train was carrying around 1500 passengers, and was running at a modest speed. The loco pilot stopped the train after watching the red piece of cloth. The loco pilot came down from the engine and asked Shahbaz the reason for raising the red Gamchha. Shahbaz took him to the spot of the cracked track. It was a vertical crack. Then the track was repaired in half an hour and the operation of trains was restarted.
DRM Vinay Srivastava awarded Shahbaz, a class 7 student, with a school bag and autobiographies of great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, BR Ambedkar and Stephen Hawkins. Mr. Srivastava said that Shahbaz exhibited exemplary alertness and performed the duty of a citizen.
Srivastava said he wished that the story of Shahbaz be a message for all the children and youth. He said every citizen carries some responsibility. He said the story of Shahbaz should inspires the children of the country.
According to Mohammad Shahbaz, he was returning after taking breakfast to his father Mohammad Salim, who runs a small shop. Shahbaz said that when he saw the vertical crack, he raised his red Gamchha. “We were going home. I saw that there was a crack in the track. I raised my Gamchha and ‘driver uncle’ stopped the train.”
