Daredevil act for just 'gutkha'

While philosophers and sophists spend numerous waking hours discussing the “value of human life”, for Clive Vincent France alias Naidu it seems it is not more than a pouch of gutkha. It was apparently over a pouch of this tobacco product that this 25-year-old tried a death-defying stunt of allowing a train to pass over him and let a friend record it on video.

The railway police recently arrested France from Bopodi after watching the video on a popular social networking site. France confessed to doing the act to win a bet with a close friend.

France, who was working as a welder, hit his head on an iron bar at the chowki, but the police did not pay much attention and warned him for his act.

The police have booked him under Section 309 (attempt to suicide) of IPC, 1860.

France completed his education till standard V from a convent school. Police inspector Mahendra Rokade told DNA, “He originally hails from Goa and speaks fluent English. He told us that he was doing these stunts for gutkha, liquor and drugs.”

Assistant police inspector Mahendra Bagade said that France used to consume liquor or drugs before doing the stunt with ease. He used to lie on the tracks and allowed the approaching train to pass over him.

On Friday, acting on a tip-off, the police arrested France on the spot.

France’s mother Rosemary is working on minimal remuneration in the area. Rokade said the police were trying to trace France’s accomplice.