A 26-year-old security guard has suffered severe head injuries after falling from a train travelling at 120km/h (75mph) in Germany, following an alleged brutal attack by a passenger during a ticket check.
Incident Details
The incident occurred on Friday evening on a regional Deutsche Bahn train travelling between Offenburg and Karlsruhe, near Ettlingen-Bruchhausen in western Germany. The altercation began when a 36-year-old German passenger was asked for his ticket. A verbal argument escalated, leading to two security guards being called to assist the ticket inspectors.
A physical fight broke out between the allegedly drunk passenger and the 26-year-old Bulgarian security guard. The guard was pushed with such force against a train door that it opened, causing him to fall out. The impact also allegedly broke a section of the entrance steps. The train did not perform an emergency stop, which typically occurs when a door opens while the train is moving.
Investigation and Arrest
The 36-year-old suspect was arrested on board and charged, though the specific offences remain unclear. An investigation has been launched as a high priority. Emergency services found the security guard near the tracks, approximately 1.25 miles from where the train eventually stopped.
This incident echoes a similar tragedy in February, when a train conductor died after an attack by a fare-evading passenger in Rhineland-Palatinate, also in western Germany. In that case, the 26-year-old perpetrator was sentenced to 10 years in prison for manslaughter.
