In a heartwarming act of courage, professionalism and quick thinking, Odisha Police rescued a three-year-old girl trapped in a steel chair in Puri Railway Station after she fell asleep in some steel chair in the middle of the night when she was trapped in the city’s railway station.
But the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) team from the 5th India Reserve Battalion (IRBn), Boudh, quickly came to rescue her (without any injury) and the child was freed. The rescue went viral on social media and the quick response from emergency responders for calm and efficient response.
The incident took place when the three-year-old girl, identified as Anamika, was at the railway station with her family, officials said. The child was playing or moving around the waiting area when her leg stuck in the narrow gap of a steel chair and became firmly lodged. Her leg was stuck and her family and other people tried to remove it but couldn't reach it.
As the situation became more urgent, the railway station authorities immediately contacted the ODRAF rescue team which was close by. The team, known for emergency situations, acted quickly and assessed the safest way to extract the child.
After examining the chair and calming the child down, the rescue personnel used a hydraulic spreader which is a very specialised rescue device for disaster response and road accident rescues. The rescue equipment allows the rescuers to apply controlled force to separate metal objects without hurting the people, who are trapped within.
Working with precision and patience, ODRAF personnel gradually widened the gap in the steel chair until the child's leg could be released. Rescuers took every precaution to ensure that Anamika was safe and comfortable and did not hurt herself. In a short time, the child was freed and a relief to her anxious family and everyone in the station came to an end.
Witnesses praised the professionalism in the rescue team, saying the operation was done quickly in the midst of the emergency. The child was quickly assessed and safe after the rescue and officials said no major injuries were reported thanks to the proper response of the emergency workers.
The Odisha Police also hailed the successful rescue as just another example of its people’s spirit and preparedness, officials said. The ODRAF team’s skills in both teamwork and technical knowhow are very high, they said. The rescue also demonstrated the value of specialized rescue equipment in the case of trapped persons.
ODRAF, one of Odisha’s best disaster response units, is a highly specialized disaster response unit for disaster management and is equipped for natural disasters, building collapses, road accidents, flood rescues, fire incidents, technical rescue. Its trained personnel undergo rigorous training in modern rescue techniques to be able to respond to incidents on a state level.
Also, the incident at Puri Railway Station should be a lesson for parents and guardians to keep track of children at the railway station, airports, shopping malls and parks, too. Curious kids get lost at places they don't know what is wrong but children are also not aware of the danger and need to be watched very closely.
Railway authorities need to review public seating and infrastructure to ensure the safety of passengers, particularly children, and the safety of rail passengers’ travelling, they said. Maintenance and design improvements will help to make sure such incidents are less likely to occur in the future.
🚨 Swift Rescue at Puri Railway Station
— Odisha Police (@odisha_police) July 25, 2026
A 3-year-old girl, Anamika, got her leg trapped in a steel chair at Puri Railway Station. The ODRAF team of 5th IRBn, Boudh, under Odisha Police, responded swiftly and used a hydraulic spreader to safely free the child.
Another timely… pic.twitter.com/cA6K9jZyiu
The rescue has been praised online, and social media users hailed the Odisha Police and ODRAF team for their quick and caring response. Many said that the rescue provided a model of public service as well and an example of how trained emergency workers could turn a potentially dangerous situation into a successful rescue.
So long as Anamika was reunited with her family and the ODRAF team were able to save her, the incident ended in a good way. The successful rescue at Puri Railway Station is yet another indicator of Odisha Police’s commitment to public safety, emergency preparedness and the protection of lives in the process of rapid, skilled and compassionate action.
