Railway Police punishes trekkers to Dudhsagar Falls, make them do sit-ups; video viral

A video depicting trekkers at the famous Dudhsagar Falls on the Goa-Karnataka border being made to do sit-ups is going viral on social media. The tweets and several media outlets claim that the group of tourists were punished by the Railway Police for getting down from a train before the scheduled station and crossing the train tracks to reach the falls which is prohibited according to rules.

The Dudhsagar Falls are a famous spot for tourists in the monsoon season as the waterfall gushing through a cover of lush greenery creates a picturesque scene.

Watch the video:

Railway Police Punish Trekkers at Dudhsagar Waterfall. #Dudhsagar #travel pic.twitter.com/hM94awOmcy

— Naveen Navi (@IamNavinaveen) July 16, 2023

Since the waterfalls are a majestic sight during the monsoon season, people from nearby Bengaluru, Goa, Mangaluru, Belagavi, Uttara Kannada, Hubballi-Dharwad and Bagalkot, Pune and other districts of Maharashtra visit the tourist spot.

These visitors walk along the tracks of the South Western Railway line to reach Dudhsagar after getting off the train at Collem station in South Goa.

Recently, the Goa Police, the forest department and Railways issued orders banning trekking in the monsoon season considering the heavy rainfall and the likelihood of accidents.

The Goa government last week banned people from visiting waterfalls in the state after two people drowned at the Mainapi waterfall in Sanguem taluka.

The South Western Railway even posted a tweet urging people not to walk along the tracks. “We urge you to savour the beauty of Dudhsagar Falls from within your coach. Walking on/along tracks not only endangers your own safety, but is also an offence under sections 147, 159 of Railway Act. It can also endanger safety of trains,” it tweeted. South Western Railway requested passengers to cooperate and follow the rules laid down for their safety.

We urge you to savour the beauty of Dudhsagar Falls from WITHIN your coach. Walking on/along tracks not only endangers your own safety but is also an offence under Section 147, 159 of Railway Act. It can also endanger safety of trains. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/Puj7hKh5JF

— South Western Railway (@SWRRLY) July 16, 2023

Dudhsagar, which translates to ‘sea of milk’, flows at a height of 1,017 feet with its origins in the river Mandovi over the Western Ghats.