The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Saturday morning rescued a youth who had fallen off the JP Setu, the double-decker rail-cum-roadbridge across the Ganga between Digha in Patna and Sonepur in Saran district and had got trapped among the steel support girders of the bridge.

Identified as Vikramaditya Singh, the 29-year-old resident of East Boring Canal Road in Patna, was shifted to Paras HMRI Hospital with fractures, from where he was discharged in the afternoon after requisite medical care.

The rescuers lift the trapped youth Telegraph picture

NDRF’s 9th battalion commandant Vijay Sinha told The Telegraph that their headquarters in Bihta got a call from the police control room around 5.30am that a person had fallen off the road portion of the bridge (upper deck) near pillar number 18 and was trapped among steel girders below the railway tracks (lower deck).

“One of our units was deployed near Digha Patipul Ghat since yesterday (Friday) for immersion of Durga idols. It swung into action and reached the spot from where the youth had fallen. He was trapped among girders around 35ft below from there,” Vijay said.

The men lift the youth into position for rescue Telegraph picture

The youth could be rescued only from the rail deck of the bridge but with continuous movement of trains, it was not possible. The NDRF informed divisional safety officer (DSO) Mithilesh Kumar Tiwari of Danapur division under East Central Railway, who stopped the plying of trains over the bridge and also rushed to the spot.

The NDRF personnel extricate the youth from among the girders Telegraph picture

“It was a difficult operation owing to the height and location but was ably conducted under the supervision of our deputy commandant Kumar Bhalchandra. He was safely extracted with precautionary measures and lifted to the railway track deck of the bridge,” Vijay added.

After extrication, the youth is lowered to an observation deck and immobilised to save him from further injuries. He is then hoisted to the railway level or deck of the bridge Telegraph picture

Bhalchandra said the 11-member team of NDRF started the operation after 5.30am and completed it at 7.55am.

The men place the youth on the bridge after the rescue Telegraph picture

Digha station house officer (SHO) Raghunath Prasad said the youth fell off around 2am and was first spotted by a policeman deployed nearby. “Vikramaditya was drunk, and was performing bike stunts with four or five friends on the bridge and taking selfies when he lost his balance. His friends fled. He hails from the erstwhile Kulharia estate,” the SHO said.

The NDRF personnel walk with the rescued youth before boarding a train Telegraph picture

Doctors at Paras HMRI found his left arm fractured and abrasions over his body. But if the youth was drunk, the police should have arrested him for violation of prohibition.