Woman thrown out of running train dies in hospital

Soumya

Thrissur: Soumya, a 23-year-old woman, who was thrown out of a running train and raped last week, died at Thrissur Medical College hospital here Sunday after battling for life for the last six days, hospital sources said.

Though there had been slight improvement in her conditon since Saturday, the situation turned for worse and she breathed her last on Sunday afternoon, hospital sources said.

According to police, the woman was found lying unconscious with serious head injuries on the tracks between Vallathol Nagar and Shornur Railway station at 9.30 on February 1.

The man who allegedly pushed her down from the the women's compartment of Ernakulam-Shornur passenger train, Govindachamy, was arrested two days back.

Women's Rights activists and social workers and leaders of political parties have expressed shock at the harrowing experience the young woman had undergone and expressed profound sorrow at her death.

The victim, a native Manajakkad near shornur and was working in a private firm in Kochi,was attacked while she was going home.

According to her relatives, she was asked to come home in connection with a marriage proposal.

She suffered serious brain injury in the attack, for which she was subjected to a surgery by a team of doctors on February 4 for removal of blood clot in the brain.

The functioning of the brain, however, stopped completely Sunday, dashing all hopes of recovery, doctors in Thrissur Medical College Hospital said.

Meanwhile, LDF Government in Kerala blamed the Railways for the tragic incident. "There is serious lapse on the part of the Railways in ensuring safety of women passengers", State PWD Minister M Vijayakumar said.

"This shocking incident has occurred in the face of widespread complaints that women are increasingly becoming insecure while travelling in passenger trains. RPF personnel are not deployed in sufficient strength even in women compartments", Vijayakuar, a CPM nominee in the cabinet, said.