Bhubaneswar: The body of a doctor was found on Platform No 1 of Bhubaneswar railway station late Friday night while an unknown youth’s body was also found hanging near the staircase on Platform No 2.
The twin deaths have sent shockwaves across the city, which has recently witnessed two murder cases.
The body found from Platform No 1 was identified to be that of Rabindranath Rath, who was working at the Paediatric department of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) hospital on an ad hoc basis after his retirement from service as a Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO).
Rath used to diagnose patients every day at his clinic in Samantarapur area from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. His sons used to get him home from his clinic every day. But on Friday, he left his clinic before time on receiving an anonymous phone call at around 9pm. When his family members tried to contact him, no response came from the other side.
At 10.30pm, an unknown person called from Rath’s phone to his son Swarup, asking him to come to the Capital Hospital as his father had sustained severe injuries after falling from a train. The same person again asked him to come to the railway station instead.
Later, Rath was rushed from the railway station to Capital Hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead. Rath’s unexpected visit to the railway station and his subsequent death indicates a possible murder angle to the case.
Speaking to Orissa POST, Swarup said, “My father was a generous person who treated several patients without taking any fee. We are confused as to why he went to the railway station. Police are investigating the call records to ascertain the identity of the person who called Rath.” Police have registered a case (CS No.62/18) and started investigations.
In another case, an unknown youth, 25, was found hanging by a towel to an iron pole near the staircase on Platform No 2 of the railway station Saturday morning. The identity of the youth is a mystery till the last report came in. Police have registered an unnatural death case and sent the body for post-mortem. The body will be kept at the mortuary of Capital Hospital for 72 hours.
GRP station IIC Bharat Sahoo said, “Both spots of the railway station where the suicide and the suspicious death took place are out of the coverage of CCTV cameras. We have recently asked the Railway authorities to install more number of CCTV cameras at the platforms. We could have ascertained the reason behind the deaths or could have prevented them too if more CCTV cameras were installed at the spot.”
In another two unrelated cases, a 34-year-old man committed suicide by jumping before a speeding train on the rear side of the railway station. His body was found near RVNL Colony at Budhheswari Temple lane.
Another body of a youth was found on the rail tracks near Shantipalli slum under Sahid Nagar police limits. The GRP has registered a UD case (63/18) and started investigation.
PNN
