At 25, life was supposed to be opening new doors for Tushar Thakur. He was travelling from Jammu to Ahmedabad to appear for his Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) interview, hoping to move closer to his dream of joining the defence forces. Instead, a journey on May 19, 2024, changed his life in ways he could never have imagined.Today, Tushar spends his days studying for the UPSC examinations at his home in Jammu. A spinal cord injury has left him dependent on a wheelchair or bed, but his ambition to rebuild his life remains alive.
A simple objection that allegedly changed his life
Tushar was travelling aboard the Sri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Express when he noticed three young men smoking inside the coach. Feeling suffocated, he asked them to smoke outside.Recalling the incident to The Indian Express, he said, “As I came out, a punch landed on my face from nowhere, and my ribs felt crushed. I blacked out. I was thrown out. That one day changed my life.”He was allegedly punched, kicked and thrown from the moving train near Ludhiana railway station. The incident left his spinal cord irreversibly damaged and a vertebral bone completely crushed. He spent more than two months fighting for his life.
The long road from hospital to home
At the hospital, doctors reportedly declined a surgery they considered life-threatening and told Tushar he would never walk again.His treatment continued across several hospitals. He spent a month at AIIMS Delhi, another month at an Ayurvedic hospital in Kerala, and later received treatment at AIIMS Jammu before returning home.His father, Virander Singh, who works in Jammu’s power department, said the family had already spent Rs 25-30 lakh on treatment.
Why Tushar refuses to give up hope
For Tushar, recovery is about more than walking again. He misses riding his bike, playing cricket and running on the terrace with his dog, Bruno.“I manifest I will walk again; I will show the world I can,” he told The Indian Express. He added that he wanted to walk again for his parents, who had struggled to keep him alive.His determination has also brought him back to his books. Seeing his parents’ struggle encouraged him to resume studying and prepare for the UPSC examinations.
An investigation with unanswered questions
The Government Railway Police (GRP) registered an FIR on June 24, 2024, after repeated efforts by Tushar’s father. The Railways Claims Tribunal later awarded Rs 4 lakh in compensation. Another Rs 1 lakh was raised through donations arranged by then Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney.Tushar alleged that the railway police wanted the case closed despite failing to identify those responsible. GRP Ludhiana SHO Inspector Jatinder Singh said passengers had been questioned, but nobody confirmed witnessing an altercation.The police said they planned to file a closure report because the case remained untraceable, adding that it could be reopened if new evidence emerged.
A family’s belief in a different future
Tushar said he sought help on social media from political leaders, including the Prime Minister and then Ludhiana MP Ravneet Bittu, but nobody came forward to support him.His father said the family received no government assistance beyond the donations arranged by the then Ludhiana DC. Yet, amid the financial strain and uncertainty, he continues to believe in his son’s determination.
