Indian pole vaulter was thrown from the train (Photo: Videograb)
Indian Pole Vaulters: Indian players Kuldeep Yadav and Dev Meena were removed from the train by TTE. This incident took place at Panvel Railway Station, where these two players were not deboarded from the train with tickets. Rather, the reason for being removed was their sports equipment. Kuldeep Yadav and Dev Meena both represent India in men’s pole vault. Dev Meena is India’s national record holder in pole vault while Kuldeep Yadav is also one of the top pole vaulters of the country. But, what the Railways did to these two Indian players is condemnable. Now a controversy has arisen regarding it.
Taken off the train, taken into custody and interrogated
Both the pole vaulters of India were going from Mangalore to Bhopal to participate in the All India Inter-University Championship. Both of them had also kept a pole with them during the journey. When the TTE who came to check tickets at Panvel station saw the pole with him, he asked him to get down from the train. Those two athletes were not only taken off the train but were also taken into custody and interrogated. This video of the incident that happened with Indian poll voters is now viral on social media.
Players stuck at Panvel station for 5 hours
The cost of the pole ranges up to Rs 2 lakh. Kuldeep Yadav and Dev Meena told that they tried hard to explain to TTE how important that poll was for them. But he was not ready to understand. Both Kuldeep and Meena players accused TTE of harassing them. He told that not only was he taken off the train but he was also detained and interrogated. According to him, he was stuck at Panvel railway station for about 5 hours.
Video of the incident surfaced
NNIS has shared the video of this entire incident, in which Dev Meena is seen saying that when this is the condition of a senior pole vaulter of the country like him, then he can imagine what would be the condition of those who are his junior.
INDIA’S TOP POLE VAULTERS DE-BOARDED & DETAINED FOR CARRYING THEIR POLES ЁЯШб
National record holder Dev Meena and Kuldeep Yadav were de-boarded by railway officials and had to wait 5 hours, simply for carrying their pole.
Is this how we treat our athletes? pic.twitter.com/YlMSPZ9hFC
тАФ The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) January 19, 2026
Who is national record holder Dev Meena?
India’s national record holder pole vaulter Dev Kumar Meena comes from Madhya Pradesh. He broke his own national record by jumping 5.35 meters in the National Federation Senior Athletics Championship in April 2025. At that time, 19-year-old Meena had left behind his previous national record of 5.32 meters by performing brilliantly in the men’s pole vault event.
Pole vault is an event in which there is a lot of difference between Indian and international athletes. The Asian record in men’s pole vault is 6 metres, made by Ernest John Obina of the Philippines in 2023, while the world record is 6.27 metres, held by Sweden’s superstar Armand Duplantis. Dev Meena is currently far away from both these records.