An old man in a train station in India had a lucky escape after collapsing as he attempted to cross the tracks.

The incident happened on 18 August in Katpadi in the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu.

CCTV footage shows the man walking alongside a freight train, apparently considering clambering under it to reach the other side, when he falls.

He appears to land on a drainage channel and, right after, the train starts to move.

Fortunately he has fallen away from the train and some railway police officers quickly run to save him.

While passengers are usually banned from crossing tracks in this way, the practice is common in India despite the dangers.

Location: Katpadi Vellore district of Tamilnadu India.

Old man walks on the railway tracks aiming to move on to the other platform. A cargo train was about to start but this old man was holding the train and tried to crawl under the train to reach the other platform.

Instead he fell down on the tracks. Seeing the old man falling down railway cops immediately ran and saved him. At the same time train also starting moving fast.

This old man had a lucky escape.