Both legs amputated, budding engineer dies of trauma

Jowahir Abdullah, the 24year-old civil engineer, who fell into the gap between the train and platform as she was alighting from Koyna Express on July 12 and underwent amputation of both legs, succumbed to multiple organ injuries and septicaemia early on Wednesday.

She was on her way back to Sudan when the incident took place. Her family is still reeling from the shock of the sudden death of her ailing father, who collapsed in Sudan on receiving the news of her accident.

Her sister Dr Hara Mustafa and friends are currently in Mumbai but constrained by lack of funds they agreed to have her last rites performed at Chandanwadi crematorium at Charni Road.

“After the Sudanese embassy refused to provide any help to her family, they enquired about the cost of taking her back to Sudan. But the cost was around Rs 2-3 lakh, which they found very steep and so decided to perform Jowahir's last rites in Mumbai,” said Sagar Patil, senior clerk, Rajaram Bapu Institute of Technology (RBIT), Sangli, from where Abdullah had completed her civil engineering course.

He further added the embassy "did not respond to our request and is not even bearing her medical expenses, so we paid her hospital bills as she was our student and guest. The embassy did not even respond to our requests to help their own citizen,” said Patil.

Dr Jayashree Mondkar, dean of Sion hospital said Jowahir's condition started deteriorating on Monday due to which she was on ventilator. “One of her legs was amputated above the knee and the other one slightly below. She also had a major bladder puncture. She was on ventilator and had undergone several surgeries for her multiple organ injuries. According to post mortem report, the actual cause of death is septicaemia followed by polytrauma,” she added.

Senior central railway officials said they have

formed a four-member committee to inspect whether the gap between the platform and the train is too high at Dadar station. “We regret the death of Johawir and it was an unfortunate incident. However, the height of the platform is perfect and we appeal to the commuters not to board or alight running trains, which can prove dangerous,” said Sunil Udasi, CPRO, CR.