VARKALA: Two women, who were relatives returning home after setting up the makeshift brick stove for Ayanthi Valiyamelathil pongala, died after getting hit by a train. The deceased are Kumari (65) of Ayanthi Puthuval Puthenveedu and Ammu (18), a differently-abled woman who was the daughter of her sister Bindu. The Maveli Express, which was going to Kollam, hit them near the Vettur Ayanthi bridge at 8.30 pm on Wednesday.

Kumari and Ammu were returning after preparing the makeshift brick stove for the Pongala being held at the Ayanthi Valiyamelathil temple in conjunction with the Attukal Pongala. When they reached near their house, Ammu tried to cross the tracks without noticing the train coming. Kumari tried to save Ammu, but the train hit them both.

After the loco pilot informed, the Varkala station authorities and police reached and shifted the bodies to Paripally Medical College. After the postmortem, the bodies were cremated in a nearby outbuilding as there was no space near the house to bury them. Kumari's husband is Rameshan. Children: Ranjith, Ranjan.

Ammu, a student of Cherunniyur Buds School, lived with her foster mother Kumari. Ammu would be with her wherever Kumari went. Kumari and her bedridden husband Rameshan lived in three cents near the railway outbuilding. They had gone to look for work to earn a living. Rameshan became bedridden after a stroke a year and a half ago. The eldest son, Ranjith, is a teacher at Kallambalam Sri Aurobindo Public School, and the youngest son, Ranjan, is abroad.