228 Unidentified Bodies Found on Pune Railway Tracks in 2024, GRP Faces Challenges in Identification

Pune, 5th February 2025: Government Railway Police (GRP) data has revealed that 228 bodies discovered on railway tracks and inside trains passing through Pune’s rail division in 2024 remain unidentified. Out of the 583 deaths recorded last year, authorities were able to establish the identities of 355 individuals.

The total fatalities in 2024 were slightly lower than in 2023, when 617 cases were reported, with GRP successfully identifying 397 of the deceased. However, officials continue to struggle with identifying many victims, particularly in cases where bodies are severely disfigured due to train accidents.

According to GRP officials, one of the biggest hurdles in the identification process is the condition of the bodies. “In many cases, when a person is struck by a moving train, their body gets dismembered due to the impact. If they are not carrying identification documents and their face is unrecognizable, tracing their identity becomes extremely difficult,” a senior GRP officer explained.

Of the total fatalities in 2024, 343 people lost their lives after being hit by trains, while in 2023, 377 such cases were recorded.

GRP Pune Superintendent Tushar Doshi highlighted the issue of homeless individuals using trains and tracks for shelter, making identification even more complex. “Many people, including the homeless, travel on trains or loiter near tracks. When they pass away due to accidents or natural causes, their identities often remain unknown,” he said.

He further emphasized the importance of informing families about missing loved ones. “There are instances where individuals leave their homes and later turn up dead in train-related incidents. Our priority is to establish their identities and notify their families. It is crucial for families to know what happened to their missing relatives.”

To enhance identification efforts, GRP officials are utilizing mobile phones found on deceased individuals to track contacts. “We attempt to unlock mobile devices to find contact details of family members. If the deceased person was carrying any official identification, such as an Aadhaar or PAN card, we use that information to locate their relatives,” Doshi added.

Additionally, police teams are sent to different parts of the country to verify identities and establish connections with the families of the deceased. Surveillance footage is also analyzed to determine where the person may have boarded the train, helping officers trace their movements before the fatal incident.

The Pune GRP operates across Pune district, Ahilyanagar, Solapur, Satara, Sangli, and Kolhapur, categorizing such cases under accidental death reports. Despite the ongoing challenges, officials continue their efforts to bring closure to families of the deceased.