66-year-old woman killed by Vande Bharat Express at Bhadravati railway station

A 66-year-old woman from the Jain community, Sohanidevi Shrishrimal, was killed after being hit by the Vande Bharat Express at Bhadravati railway station. The accident has plunged the Jain community into mourning and has once again raised the question of a lack of essential facilities for elderly and disabled passengers at the station.

According to the information available, Sohanidevi was a resident of Ahmedabad. She had got off the Hyderabad-Hazrat Nizamuddin Dakshin Express at Bhadravati station at 6.30 am. She had come to pray at the well-known Shri Keshariya Parshwanath Jain temple here. Because of her age, she found it difficult to climb up and down the station's foot overbridge, so she was walking from platform number two towards the road. At that moment, the Vande Bharat Express, which was passing without stopping, hit her with great force. She died on the spot.

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) was informed of the accident. The railway police then called an ambulance and had the body removed from the spot, according to the information received. It has not been officially clear whether Bhadravati police were informed. The railway administration has also not yet provided detailed information about the accident.

Passengers complain that Bhadravati station does not have adequate facilities for elderly, disabled and visually impaired passengers to move easily from one platform to another or out of the station. The steps of the foot overbridge are troublesome for the elderly and the disabled. A need is therefore being expressed for a lift or some other easy alternative arrangement at the station.

People say that if the station had the necessary measures for passenger safety and arrangements for easy movement, the risk of such accidents could have been reduced. However, the exact cause of the accident and where responsibility lies will become clear only after an official inquiry.

Following this tragic incident, questions are being raised about the station's security arrangements, facilities for elderly and disabled passengers, and emergency assistance. There is a demand that the railway administration investigate the incident thoroughly and make the necessary information public. It is also being demanded that a lift, a safe passage and other essential facilities be provided at the station.

The Jain community is in mourning over Sohanidevi's sudden death. According to the information available, her last rites were performed at 4 pm at the Jain temple cremation ground.