A local woman in Etah district fluttered her red saree to avert a severe rail tragedy owing to broken rails near Kusba railway station, 20 km from the district headquarters, on Thursday, saving several valuable lives. Omvati, 65, of Guleria village in Etah district’s Avagarh block, noticed a large break on the railway track while heading to the fields. She considered alerting the next train’s driver. She undressed her red saree and began fluttering it on the tracks because she couldn’t find anything acceptable to hoist a flag.
With the help of a piece of stem cut from a nearby tree, she later draped the saree on the railroad, signalling danger. A passenger train from Etah to Tundla arrived soon after, but the driver saw the red sari and quickly applied the brakes. When the passenger train driver saw the tracks were damaged, he alerted his superiors, who arrived on the scene and fixed them. After one hour, the train may resume its route.
The train driver, on the other hand, praised Omvati’s efforts and awarded her Rs 100 as a sign of her foresight and bravery. Omvati claimed she took off her saree and placed it on the tracks in the hopes that the red colour would warn the motorist to the danger. She also claimed that despite her unwillingness to accept the money, the driver gave her with Rs 100. Being from a rural place, this elderly lady used her foresight to save several lives that were otherwise lost. Any prize she receives for her extraordinary deed will be insignificant in comparison to her performance.
Meanwhile, a cop from Uttar Pradesh named Sachin Kaushik uploaded the entire story on social media, praising the local woman’s spirit.
