Dummy torso triggers police operation in Essen
Unknown persons have placed a replica of a human body on railroad tracks in North Rhine-Westphalia, triggering a rescue operation. The driver of an express train discovered an apparently bloody human torso on the tracks at Essen-West station and alerted the police, according to the federal police in Sankt Augustin.
On closer inspection, however, the dummy turned out to be a pair of prepared jeans. By tearing and stuffing the trouser legs and attaching red paint and plastic bones, the dummy made "an almost real impression", the federal police said. It had been placed in such a way as to give the impression of an accident.
The driver of the ICE train heading towards Munich suffered a considerable shock as a result of the incident on Sunday morning. The supposed emergency situation led to several train cancellations and delays. The Federal Police opened an investigation into the alleged emergency situation.
The incident at Essen-West station attracted international attention, as news of the dummy torso spread beyond North Rhine-Westphalia. Despite the misleading appearance, the police in Essen (NRW) were able to quickly identify and investigate the origins of the dummy, ensuring that normal train traffic in the region resumed swiftly.
Source: www.ntv.de
