Anand Runwal, 40, was killed after he jumped in front of a train in Sydney’s south in an attempt to save his two daughters. He and his daughter were killed when the train hit them.
At around 12.25 pm, emergency responders were called to the station after hearing that a pram containing two infants had rolled onto the tracks.
The surviving child was then taken to the hospital by NSW Police. Poonam Runwal, the mother of the twins, was also taken to the facility.
It’s believed that the Runwals moved to Sydney with their daughters from India in October 2023.
Anand then secured a job at an IT company in North Sydney. Haunting footage showed the family, who were from Kogarah, walking towards a pedestrian crossing just before the incident happened.
While Anand was pushing the pram, Poonam was holding a pink trolley bag. The family then proceeded to walk across the road to reach the station’s platform
. Paul Dunston, a police superintendent, said it’s believed that a freak gust of wind caused the pram to roll onto the tracks.
According to Dunston, it’s believed that after catching the lift, the family took their hands off the pram and it eventually rolled onto the tracks.
Witnesses said they heard the mother calling for her babies to be saved before the train hit them.
Grant Azzopardi said he heard the mother calling for her children to be saved immediately. However, the train was not able to stop.
Another witness said the woman was on the platform when the incident happened. Officers then rushed to the scene to try and save the children.
Unfortunately, the father and one of the babies died. Fire and rescue units arrived at the scene and started removing the bodies of the victims from underneath the train.
A fund has been established to support the family following the tragic incident. According to the fundraiser, the actions of the father have left the community in shock and grief.
The family is part of the Indian community, and they are currently going through unimaginable grief. Poonam, who is 39 years old, witnessed the tragic incident. She is struggling to cope.
The family is seeking the community’s support following the tragic incident.
The funds will be used to help the family with various expenses, such as the funeral costs for the twins. It will also support the mother in her grief.
Please help the family through this difficult time. Any contribution will make a huge difference. A friend of Runwal’s posted a message on Facebook to share his grief. He said that he was sad to hear about the death of Anand and his daughter.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victims of this tragic incident. On Sunday afternoon, NSW Premier Chris Minns paid tribute to the children’s father during a press conference. He said the incident had left the community in shock and grief.
During his press conference, the Premier praised the actions of the father, who he said was a brave and heroic individual. He also said that the government would look into the possibility of introducing new safety features on train platforms.
The Premier urged the public to be aware of the dangers of train stations. He also said that the staff members of Sydney Trains were being supported by the organization.