A woman and her daughter died after they fell while trying to get down from a moving train at the Pazhavanthangal railway station on Monday.
M. Chandra (55), a resident of Otteri, was taking her daughter Ambika (32), a resident of Moovarasampet, Madipakkam, to a doctor in Otteri.
According to sources, they were sitting on a cement platform with three bags to board an electric multiple unit (EMU) bound to Beach station. When the train arrived, they quickly boarded it. However, when it started moving, they realised that they had left behind their bags.
When Chandra tried to get down from the running train, she fell on the platform and sustained serious injuries on the back of her head. She died on the spot. On seeing her mother fall, Ambika panicked and jumped on to the platform. However, she too fell down and sustained serious injuries. The train stopped immediately and the railway staff and other passengers came to their assistance.
Ambika, who was battling for life, was sent to Government Royapettah Hospital on an 108 ambulance. Doctors over there referred her to Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital where she was declared brought dead.
The bodies were sent for post-mortem.
K.Saravanakumaran, Inspector of Government Railway Police, Egmore, said, “Passengers must know that they can alight at the next station and travel back. Jumping off a running train should be avoided.”
According to statistics available with Government Railway Police, there were 387 cases under Criminal Procedure Code 174 (Unnatural deaths) booked in Egmore Subdivision until November 30 last. As many as 338 men and 51 women were killed during the period on the stretch. Of the casualties, 95 men and 14 women are yet to be identified.
