Pregnant woman falls to death from train during journey for valaikappu; Relatives allege emergency chain malfunction

CHENNAI: The Southern Railway has launched an investigation into the death of a pregnant woman who fell from a train. Kasthuri (22), the wife of Suresh Kumar and a resident of Tenkasi Shankaran Kovil, fell from the Egmore-Kollam Express.

The incident occurred last Thursday night near Virudachalam in Cuddalore district as the train travelled from Chennai to Tenkasi for a Valaikappu ceremony. Kasthuri, seven months pregnant was standing near the washbasin to vomit in the compartment when she slipped.

Relatives immediately pulled the emergency chain, but the train failed to stop. They then proceeded to the next compartment, activated the safety chain and halted the train. However, by then, the train had travelled approximately eight kilometers. Despite a search along the track, Kasthuri could not be found prompting her family to file a complaint with the railway police.

During the subsequent police search, Kasthuri's body was found near Poovanoor on Friday morning. Relatives said that her life might have been spared had the emergency chain functioned correctly. Kasthuri and Suresh Kumar had been married for nine months.

Upon the train's arrival in Kollam, railway officials and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel inspected the compartment. A special committee has been formed to investigate the functionality of the safety chain and pinpoint the location of the incident.