CHENNAI: Samar Khan, one of the five West Bengal labourers rescued from Chennai Central Railway Station on September 16, passed away on Tuesday at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.
The 35-year-old had been undergoing treatment for kidney injuries and encephalopathy, a brain condition caused by metabolic changes.
Hospital sources said he had been on dialysis and ventilator support before succumbing to complications, including ventilator-associated pneumonia and kidney failure.
Khan was admitted to the hospital after collapsing at Chennai Central Railway Station, along with four other labourers who hadn’t eaten properly for two days. They were rushed to the hospital for treatment, while seven others were sheltered at the Greater Chennai Corporation’s homeless shelter on NSC Bose Road. All seven have since returned to their hometowns.
While three of the five admitted labourers were discharged earlier, Samar and another worker remained on dialysis. Hospital sources indicated that Samar’s condition initially improved, leading to him being taken off ventilator support, but his health deteriorated due to complications.
Officials have stated that arrangements are being made to transport Samar Khan’s body to his hometown in West Bengal. The hospital sources further said that his death cannot be solely attributed to starvation, citing pre-existing health conditions such as continuous diarrhea before rescue.