Pregnant woman dies after falling off train; kin blame faulty chain

CHENNAI: A seven-month-pregnant woman died after falling off a running train between Ulundurpet and Virudhachalam on Thursday evening. Twenty-two-year-old Kasthuri from Sankarankovil was travelling on the Kollam Express with her husband Suresh Kumar and relatives when the mishap struck.

Sure sh Kumar ,25, works as an employee in a private company in Chen naiw hi le Kasthuri is a nursing graduate from Trisulam. The couple got married nine months ago and their relatives planned to attend a temple festival at Suresh’s native place Mel aneezi than all ur on Saturday and hold Kasthuri’s baby shower there the following day.

The couple and their relatives were in the S-9 coach when nearing Ulundurpet around 8 pm Kasthuri felt nauseous and went to the wash area with some relatives. As she threw up, she tripped and fell off the train, and died, police investigation revealed.

Kasthuri’s relatives said though they pulled the safety chain then itself, the train didn’t stop. Realising that the chain was dysfunctional, they rushed to the adjacent compartment and pulled the chain. Once the train stopped, they rushed towards the spot but couldn’t find Kasthuri.

Then the train left from there and arrived at the Virudhachalam railway station. Kasthuri’s relatives reported the incident to the railway police. The cops on security duty traced Kasthuri’s body a kilometre away from Ulundurpet.

The relatives of the couple have blamed the dysfunction of the alarm chain for Kasthuri’s death. They alleged that by the time they managed to stop the train, it had travelled 8 kilometres from the spot.

They said the pregnant woman could have been saved if the train had stopped immediately.

Meanwhile, Southern Railway has ordered an inquiry into Kasthuri’s death. Tiruchy Railway Division officials too will conduct an investigation as the incident happened under their division. Virudhachalam Railway Police have recommended an RTO inquiry into Kasthuri’s death as she had only been married for nine months.

Relatives said though they pulled the chain, the train didn’t stop forcing them to rush to adjacent compartment