A 22-year-old pregnant woman accidentally fell from a moving train between Ulundurpet and Vriddhachalam and died, police said on Friday, adding an inquiry has been launched into the matter by the Southern Railways and the Tamil Nadu government.
The women Kasturi Suresh who was seven-months pregnant slipped and fell off the train, said the police. The victim who was on her way to her home town in Tenkasi, for her baby shower, was travelling on board the Chennai-Kollam Superfast Express, said officials. The accident took place between Ulundurpet and Virudhachalam around 11pm on Thursday night.
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According to people familiar with the matter “she felt nauseous and went to the wash basin” accompanied by relatives. “While vomiting, she tripped and fell off the train,” her family members told the police. Her family pulled on the emergency chain. The railway police found her dead on the tracks a kilometre away from where she fell.
“We did pull the chains in both S8 and S9 compartments, but the train didn’t stop,” one of the victim’s relatives told the reporters. “It was after someone from our bogey went to another bogey and pulled the chain, the train stopped. By the time it stopped, the train had come about 8 km far from the spot where she fell.”
Meanwhile, the Southern Railway has ordered an inquiry into the incident and the Tamil Nadu government has also instituted an investigation by the revenue divisional officer (RDO) into the accident. “The brake power on the train was working correctly and it was checked by engineers before the train began its journey from Chennai,” a southern railway official said. “The inquiry will establish all the details.”
The railway police registered a case on Friday. “Regarding the unfortunate incident of a lady passenger falling down from Train No.16101 Chennai – Kollam Mail of 2nd May 2024 between Ulundurpet – Puvanur of Trichy Division, Southern Railway expresses its regret over the incident and an investigation is on regarding the incident including checking of all onboard safety items,” a statement from the railways said. “Government Railway Police, Vriddhachalam registered a case under section Accidental fall and are also investigating.”
