Middle berth of Palakkad Express collapses on passenger, Railways denies fault
The passenger, who sustained a head injury and bled profusely, has alleged negligence by Railway authorities and absence of first aid on train
In an incident that has turned the worst nightmare of train passengers into reality, a woman aboard the Palakkad Express sustained severe injuries after the middle berth atop her seat collapsed on her while she was asleep. The passenger, who was in the lower berth, alleged that she was not given first aid on time and was forced to hold a cloth on her head to control the bleeding for almost an hour.
Railways refutes charges
Officials of Southern Railway, on the other hand, have refuted the charges related to the fitness of the middle berth chain and issued an advisory for passengers to ensure that the handle and chain of the berth are properly secured.
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The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of May 12 near Morappur railway station in Tamil Nadu. The victim, identified as Surya, 39, a resident of Mugalivakkam in Chennai, was travelling with her family in coach S5 of the Palakkad Express on the night of May 11. She was headed to her hometown, Munnar. Around 1:30 am, while Surya was asleep on the lower berth, a fellow passenger got down from the middle berth to use the restroom. Suddenly, the middle berth dislodged from its chain and fell directly on her head.
'Train had no first aid kit'
Startled by the loud noise and Surya’s screams, co-passengers rushed to help. She was found bleeding profusely from a head injury that she sustained.
Surya has alleged that when she approached the Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) for help, she was informed that there was no first aid kit available on the train. Furthermore, the train was not stopped at any nearby station despite her condition.
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She said she waited for nearly an hour and a half until it reached Salem station, where she finally received medical assistance. Doctors administered first aid and stitched the wound with three sutures. Surya was later admitted to a hospital in Munnar for further treatment.
Victim accuses authorities of negligence
Surya has called for strict action against railway authorities, accusing them of negligence and failure to ensure passenger safety. “There wasn’t even a first aid box on the train,” she said, adding that she later received a phone call from railway security officials at Morappur station who claimed they had no record of such an incident.
The incident has raised serious concerns over the safety of train berths and the availability of emergency medical facilities on long-distance trains.
Passengers are questioning how such a critical equipment failure could occur and why emergency protocols were not followed.
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Berth not locked properly: Railways
M Senthamizh Selvan, Chief Public Relations Officer of Southern Railway, told the media that railway authorities promptly arranged for medical assistance in line with commercial and medical protocols. “The passenger refused to de-board at Morappur station for treatment. Later, at Salem station, she was attended to by emergency medical staff, and an ambulance arranged by the Station Master transported her to the Salem Government Hospital at around 3:05 pm for further treatment,” said the officer.
Southern Railway stated that the unfortunate incident appears to have resulted from improper handling of the middle berth locking mechanism by the passenger, rather than any technical fault in the coach.
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Selvan said that a detailed inspection of coach S5 (Coach No. SRWWGCN 056303) was carried out by officials from the Mechanical, RPF, and Traffic departments. “The inspection revealed that the chain bolt mechanism was intact and secure. It was also found that the middle berth hook could only be released if it was lifted more than 2.5 cm — meeting standard specifications. The coach had undergone periodic maintenance on March 16, 2025, with no further maintenance issues reported. Additionally, a full pre-departure inspection had been conducted on May 12 before the train left Chennai, and a fitness certificate was issued,” he said in a release.