Two youths hanging out of an overcrowded local train toppled over after their hands slipped off an overhead rod between Garia and Bagha Jatin on Tuesday morning.

Raja Karmakar and Ajoy Koyal lay unconscious beside the tracks for half an hour before residents took them to MR Bangur Hospital.

Raja, 21, fractured both his knees and right leg while Ajoy, 30, suffered critical head injuries and had to be administered seven stitches. Hospital sources said the back of Ajoy’s skull had split under the impact of the fall. He was shifted to National Medical College for CT scan and other tests.

Raja, a goldsmith, and Ajoy, who earns his living by painting billboards, live in Sonarpur. The train they boarded was supposed to come at 9.15am but was late by an hour because of fog. Witnesses said the delay added to the crowd crush.