Meerut man, horse drown after cart sinks in flooded railway underpass

Meerut,UPDATED: Jul 12, 2026 23:25 IST

A 40-year-old man and his horse drowned after their horse-drawn cart sank in a waterlogged railway underpass in Meerut, police said on Sunday. The incident took place on Saturday after the cart entered a flooded stretch of the underpass and began to go under.

Officials said the man, identified as Rakesh Saini, was on his way to collect animal fodder when the accident happened. Authorities have since stopped vehicular movement on the route because of severe waterlogging, while railway officials said an inquiry has been conducted.

Police said Saini, a resident of Khatta Road in the Brahmpuri area, worked at a local dairy for his livelihood. The railway underpass on the Bijlibamba Road-Bajaut route had been filled with seven to eight feet of rainwater after heavy rainfall.

A railway gangman at the spot had warned Saini not to enter the flooded underpass, police said, but he drove the cart into the water. As the cart reached the middle of the underpass, it began to sink. Locals rushed there after hearing cries for help, but by then Saini and the horse had drowned. Officials said the horse could not escape because it was tied to the cart.

A police team later reached the spot and pulled out the cart, the horse carcass and Saini's body using iron chains and ropes in a 30-minute operation. The body was sent for post-mortem. Circle Officer Sangram Singh said directions had been issued to suspend vehicular movement on the route in view of the severe waterlogging inside the underpass.

Railway Additional Divisional Railway Manager Paritosh Gautam said an inquiry had been conducted into the incident. He said railway employees and locals had tried to stop the driver from entering the flooded underpass, but he did not pay heed. Gautam also said additional arrangements were being made to prevent waterlogging in the underpass and appealed to the public to avoid using flooded underpasses. The incident left one man and his horse dead after the cart sank in the flooded underpass.

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With PTI inputs