Newcastle(ZimEye)A Zimbabwean student was hit by a train and killed just hours before being dropped by his parents to start university at Newcastle.
Petrocelli Donhorere Chitanda, aged 20, was killed by a charging train in the early hours of the 17th September last month.
The full circumstances of his death remain unexplained and British Transport Police (BTP) have launched an appeal for information from any witnesses to the accident.
His family were yesterday attending his funeral on the same day which would have been his 21st birthday.
Petrocelli Chitanda, was found dead on the railway line at 03:47 hours on the 17th September.
The driver of a passing freight train reported striking a body on the railway line in the area.
BTP officers are currently treating the incident as unexplained, although they do not believe that there are any suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances leading up to Mr Chitanda’s death and officers have today released a photograph and CCTV images in the hope of gaining information which will help piece together the events leading up to his death.
Officers are carrying out anniversary visits to the area this weekend, and will be handing out leaflets to local residents asking for anyone with information to come forward and help officers in their investigation.
Detective Inspector Stuart Mellish said: “By releasing these images, I’m hoping to jog peoples’ memories so that we can establish where Mr Chitanda went.
“We know that he was dropped off in a taxi at Knoll Court, on Melbourne Street at 12.58am and he was last seen walking up Argyle Street in the direction of Manors Railway Station. We have had no further sighting of him until sadly he was struck by the train at 03:47 hours.
“What remains unclear at this stage is where he was between these times.
“I’m appealing for any information on his whereabouts, did you see Mr Chitanda in the Manors area of Newcastle in the early hours of Saturday, 17 September? This is a busy student area and we are hoping someone may have seen him so we can piece together his final movements.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on Freefone 0800 40 50 40 , quoting incident number 80 of 17/09/2011.
9 Replies to “Zimbabwean Student killed by charging train before starting university”
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myb it was a suicide,n’way may his dear soul RIP
On the picture of the train station shown above, it seems clear beyond the shadow of a doubt that its impossible for a person to wander off into the rail tracks. Bla Miki please give us more information on how this innocent boy died
Where there is a level rail/road crossing there are warning signs that drive out members of the public away. Even Zimbabwe during the good days had these warning devices at level rail/road crossing. Safety systems make it very difficult for a person to be hit by a train in industrialised countries. When it happens then it posses a lot of questions.
Iwe bonga muran chaka ndiudze kuti iwe hausati wanzwa nezvetsaona yechitima. Sei kungotaura zvisina basa dhemeti mhani.
Sad and very sad a young life has been lost tragically again, condolences to the bereaved CHITANDAs.
It could be agreed that a wide range of issues affect ZIM youths and families in diaspora. Mainly these are culturally influenced, surely my generation wouldnt be out and drinking that late. It is imperative diasporan families maintain vana vasingadhakwi at such tender and socially inexperienced ages. Binge drinking and drug abuse in England is the order of the day among young people. Mwana would have lost his judgement of direction, effects of class A drugs and strayed. Probably to find warmth on the rail tracks leading to his demise, sadly. Hungochani is another major element that diasporan parents arent well aware of. Vana varikunanzvana nezvimachinda zvechirungu and when things go wrong crimes are commited(murders).
There too many questions here vanhuwe! This could be a CIO job who knows?
How does someone get hit by a train.Looks suspicious
rip
What a tragedy, l hope the MDC spokesman will not start again to accuse the CIO, Zanu pf youth or the President for this tragedy in Europe.