KAZHAKKOOTTAM: In a terrible start to the new year, a Madurai native fell from a moving train and died in Kazhakkoottam on Wednesday. Karthika Devi (35), a resident of Adaikulam Pillai Colony, Madurai Iravathanallur died in the incident.

While trying to board the Punalur-Madurai Express train from Kazhakkoottam, Karthika slipped and fell under the train. The incident happened at 7.45 pm on Wednesday. A 13-member group consisting of Karthika, her husband and children came from Madurai to Thiruvananthapuram to celebrate Christmas vacation.

They had booked tickets in the S3 coach and stood on platform 3 but the train arrived on another forcing the family to rush. Seeing the train leaving, three people including her husband Selvakumar ran in a dire attempt to catch the train. But Karthika slipped and fell under the train while boarding and died instantly. The train was immediately stopped after relatives of the victim raised the alarm. Karthika's husband Selvakumar is a jewelery owner in Madurai. Thumba Police and Railway Police registered a case and started an investigation. The body is kept in the medical college mortuary.