Elderly woman earns praise for averting train mishap in Mangaluru

A 70-year-old woman from Mandara in the city has won all praise for her great presence of mind that helped avert a train mishap near here recently.

Railway police sources said the incident occurred on March 21 at around 2.10 pm when the woman, Chandravathi, who was outside her house noticed a tree fall over the track between Padil and Jokatte.

Chandravathi, who knew that the Matsyagandha Express from Mangaluru to Mumbai would pass that way, rushed inside her house, brought out a red cloth and waved it to the loco pilot of the oncoming train. The loco pilot, who noticed it, sensed danger and slowed down the train which stopped just near the place where the tree had fallen on the track.

Later, the Railway personnel and local people reached the place and ensured that the tree was cleared from the track.

The elderly woman was felicitated on Tuesday by Railway police at a function attended by senior officials.

Chandravathi, who recollected the incident, told reporters that as soon as she noticed the tree falling on the track, she rushed home with an intention of conveying the information to someone. By that time, she heard the train’s horn and realised that there was no time to waste and rushed out with a red cloth. She ran towards the track and waved the cloth.

Chandravathi said she did not have time to think about the heart surgery she had undergone recently while running towards the track.