The New Indian Express ·
Katpadi RPF rescues Naga teens stranded in jungle
VELLORE: The Railway Protection Force (RPF), Katpadi, rescued two 17-year-old boys stranded in a remote jungle area near the railway track between Walajah Road and Mukundarayapuram during the intervening night of September 12 and 13.
PR Murali, Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI), and G Gopalakrishnan, Head Constable, led the rescue operation under the direction of K Prabhu, Inspector, as part of Operation Jeevan Raksha.
According to RPF officials, the incident came to light late on September 12 after Nagaland Police informed them that the boys had left home without informing their parents and were travelling to Kerala in search of employment.
The boys had initially travelled by train but alighted at Samalkot Railway Station in Andhra Pradesh to attend to nature’s call. Before they could re-board, the train departed. They then purchased fresh tickets and boarded the Gurudev Express bound for Thiruvananthapuram.
However, during the journey, the boys allegedly became frightened and alighted from the train at an intermediate location around 10 pm. They then moved away from the railway line and entered a remote jungle area at Ammoor. Their baggage and other belongings were also lost during the journey.
Unable to share their location due to dead phone batteries, the group finally contacted their families once one device was recharged. Their relatives immediately alerted the Nagaland Police, who then notified the Katpadi RPF.
“The location was difficult to access and communication was challenging as the boys spoke only their native Naga language. We continued the search until we located and brought them to safety,” Murali said.