Four passengers travelling from Agra to Coimbatore on the Kerala Express allegedly died due to severe heat on June 10. All four of them were senior citizens.
The Kerala Express plies from New Delhi to Thiruvananthapuram. On the way, the passengers complained of uneasiness, and by the time the train reached Jhansi, three of them had died.
From Jhansi railway station, the bodies of the three passengers were taken to Jhansi Medical college. Another passenger, who was taken to the hospital in a critical condition, passed away there.
An investigation is being carried out to ascertain whether they died due to heatstroke or because of something they ate.
The Incident
All the passengers were travelling from Agra to Coimbatore and were seated in non-AC coaches. After the post mortem is completed, the bodies would be sent to Coimbatore, Divisional Railway Manager Neeraj Ambisht told IANS.
Part of a 68-member group, the deceased were returning after visiting Varanasi and Agra.
“Shortly after we left Agra, the heat became unbearable and some people started complaining of breathing problems and uneasiness. Before we could get some help, they collapsed,” The News Minute quoted a group member as saying.
The deceased have been identified as Pachayya, an 80-year-old man, 67-year-old Balakrishnan, Dhanalakshmi, a 74-year-old woman, and Subbaraiyya, a 71-year-old woman.
“Three of them had already passed away when in the train and when they were deboarded at Jhansi station, the doctors declared them dead. One of them was still critical and immediately taken to the civil hospital but could unfortunately not survive,” Jhansi railway PRO said.
Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi has been witnessing extremely high temperatures, well above 40 degrees Celsius. Officials have issued a warning of a severe heat wave. Jhansi recorded the highest temperature of 48.1 degrees Celsius on June 10.
Also Read: Andhra Pradesh Under 3-Day Heatwave Alert; Temp Reaches 45 Degrees, Residents Advised To Stay In