An alert Railway Protection Force (RPF) employee helped save a retired railway staffer at Diva station in Maharashtra after the elderly man slipped off the footboard of a long distance train and was about to fall in the platform-footboard gap, officials said, Monday.

The incident was reported on platform 8 Monday afternoon when Dombivli resident SY Surve was travelling home by the Garib Rath Express from Chiplun.

“The passenger lost his balance and slipped off but held on to the side support bars. He was being dragged along the platform when patrolling RPF staffer Kapil Tomar spotted him and instantly rushed to his rescue. The staff managed to pull him to safety in the nick of time,” said a senior railway official.

The passenger later told the police officials that he used to work at the Parel railway workshop and had retired. He was travelling back home and had come to check the station when he suddenly slipped off. He said he had held on to the side bars till the alert RPF staffer held him firmly and was all praises for the prompt action shown by the constable.

Read more: [Retired Railway Staffer Saved by RPF at Diva Station](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thane/retired-railway-staffer-saved-by-rpf-at-diva-station/articleshow/101646402.cms)