In an incident, a 62-year-old man from Kerala, M. Alikhan, died after an upper berth on a train collapsed on him. Alikhan, who worked as an LIC agent and was a resident of Ponnani in Malappuram, was traveling with his friend Muhammed from Thrissur to New Delhi on the Ernakulam-Hazrat Nizamuddin Express. The incident occurred on June 16, and Alikhan succumbed to his injuries after over a week in the hospital.
Alikhan and Muhammed boarded the train on the night of June 15. They were planning to visit Delhi and Agra before proceeding to Jalandhar, where Muhammed's daughter is a college student. The accident happened when the train was passing through Telangana. According to Alikhan's elder brother, Backer, the upper berth came apart and fell on Alikhan while he was on the lower berth. Co-passengers informed the Train Ticket Examiner (TTE), and Alikhan was given medical attention at a local hospital in Warangal. The train had traveled more than 100 kilometers at that point following the accident.
The next day, Alikhan was shifted to another hospital in Hyderabad, where he underwent major surgery. Unfortunately, he died on Monday. The railway police have registered a case regarding the incident, and Alikhan's family is still trying to understand the exact details of what happened.
A spokesperson from the Railways Ministry stated that the passenger was traveling on seat number 57 (lower berth) of the S/6 coach. The upper berth fell due to the improper placement of the chain that secures the berth. The statement clarified that the seat was not damaged and had not crashed down, as claimed. It was explained that the accident was caused by the improper chaining of the upper berth by a passenger.
After receiving a message about the accident at Ramagundam station at 6:34 p.m. on June 16, the on-duty station master arranged for an ambulance, and the train made an unscheduled stop at Ramagundam. Alikhan was transferred from the train to the ambulance and admitted to a nearby hospital.
The Indian Railways reiterated that there was no defect in the upper berth and emphasized the importance of properly securing berths with the provided chains to prevent such accidents. The railways expressed their condolences and stressed the need for passengers to follow safety protocols.
In Vadamukku, the Kunnath Juma Masjid hosted Alikhan's funeral. He is survived by his wife, Shakeela, and daughter, Shaza. The incident has raised concerns about passenger safety and the proper use of berth-securing mechanisms on trains.
The train departed from Ernakulam station on June 15 and reached Hazrat Nizamuddin station on June 17, before the scheduled time. The body was brought back to Alikhan's house in Maranchery on Tuesday, and the funeral was held on Wednesday morning.
(Rehash/ Susmita Bhandary/MSM)
