Khandapara: A constable of Railway Protection Force (RPF) will be conferred with ‘Jeevan Raksha Padak’ for displaying exemplary bravery in saving a college teacher from being crushed under the wheels of an express train. The braveheart, constable Subrat Kumar Moharana alias Silu, is the son of Sarat Moharana, a native of Kantilo Hatamundapatna village under this block in Nayagarh district. The Union Railway Ministry will confer him with the medal for his timely act that saved a woman’s life at Bhubaneswar railway station February 15, 2020.
The passenger was identified as Nibedita Sahoo, a lecturer at Rama Devi Women’s University in Bhubaneswar. She fell into the gap between the running train and the platform while trying to board the Puri-Sambalpur Express train (18304) for Meramundali station in Dhenkanal. Nibedita, accompanied by her younger brother, was in a hurry to board the train to reach home and attend her engagement ceremony which was scheduled for that day. The RPF constable rushed to her rescue and lifted her from falling on the track. Some other passengers present there also helped.
The ministry has decided to confer ‘Jeevan Rakshak Padak’ and ‘Mahila Awam Bal Suraksha Padak’ to Moharana and another woman constable Jeena H Pintu of Meramundali area in Dhenkanal for the year 2020-21. They will be felicitated along with cash awards of Rs 1 lakh each by the Union Railway minister at a special function, Indian Railways sources said. Kendrapara MP Anubhav Mohanty also felicitated him.
