BHUBANESWAR: A pregnant woman delivered her child in a train with the help of Meri Saheli team members of Indian Railways at Bhubaneswar on Saturday. The 20-year-old woman Ayesha Khatun and her newborn were shifted to Capital Hospital in the city and their condition is stated to be stable. Ayesha along with her mother-in-law was travelling in a train from Howrah to Yesvantpur when she went into labour.
Receiving information, the Meri Saheli team - Railway Protection Force (RPF) sub-inspector Sachala Pradhan, havildar Arati Panda and constable Tulasi Sahu - rushed to the train’s coach to assist the woman as soon as the train chucked into platform no 5 of Bhubaneswar railway station. They isolated the woman and assisted her in delivering the child.
“The train arrived at 4.44 pm and Meri Saheli team was already present at the platform. The woman delivered the child at 4.55 pm inside the train’s coach,” RPF IIC K Sethi told TNIE. Railways doctor and staff arrived at the station soon and checked the condition of the woman and her newborn.
Indian Railways had launched Meri Saheli initiative last year for focused action on security of women across all zones with an objective to provide safety and security to lady passengers travelling by trains. An initiative of RPF, women passengers, especially those traveling alone, are briefed about all precautions to be taken during the journey and asked to dial 182 if they face any problem in the coach.