MALAPPURAM: A family from Kannur has alleged negligence on the part of the Railways after their one-year-old, a heart patient, died on the way to Thiruvananthapuram on the Maveli Express.
Maryam, the daughter of Shameer and Sumayya, died on the train on Wednesday night after she failed to get emergency treatment. The couple alleged they were not given a seat in the sleeper coach and the ticket examiner asked them to leave the coach despite their repeated pleas for a seat.
“Our attempts to get a seat failed and the baby lost consciousness,” said Shameer.
Some of the passengers managed to pull the chain when the baby was found breathless. She was rushed to a private hospital at Kuttippuram where doctors declared the baby brought dead.
Shameer said the family does not plan to file complaints or take legal action.
A preliminary enquiry by the Railway Protection Force has found the couple did not have a reservation ticket. Palakkad Division officer said the ticket examiner was helpless as several people who were on the waiting list were seeking seats.
“He could have helped the family if they had made attempt to book seats and were on the waiting list. The family approached the examiner on the way to Thiruvananthapuram,” he said.