My brother Datta Kiran Jagu (a final year M.Tech student in Tata Energy Research Institute, New Delhi) has booked a train ticket under tatkal on 1st jan with PNR# 825-1030538. The journey date was 3rd January (Monday) from Ahmedabad. On 3rd Jan morning, he took the train ADI JAT EXPRESS at Ahmedabad. His coach number was S7, and the berth number was 19. He was on his way back to New Delhi after a holiday in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
But on 5th January afternoon, he was found/traced in Bhatinda, Punjab, in the same train, same coach, and on the same berth. He was lying unconscious on his berth due to suspected food poisoning. He was oozing some white substance from his mouth at the time he was found. It was probably due to the food poisoning. We are still not sure whether someone mixed a drug in his food/water so as to rob him while he was unconscious. Some railway staff in Bhatinda found him unconscious, and immediately apprised other railway staff/security. He was admitted to a civil hospital adjacent to the railway station. My brother lost his baggage, containing clothes, books etc. But, in the other small bag (which he used as a head rest at that time), he had a diary containing our phone numbers, and with the help of that, the railway staff called us and informed us about him. We then informed one of our friends (George- 9888888319) in Bhatinda, and he immediately came and took over. My brother was later moved to BharatBhushan hospital in Bhatinda on the same day as his condition was critical. He was kept in ICU, due to suspected food poisoning, and he was unconscious, and had breathing problems. He was put on ventilator as he had difficulties in breathing. He is still (while I am typing this mail) in ICU totally unconscious, and his condition is critical. Due to the sheer carelessness of the concerned railway staff on duty, my brother was lying unconscious in the same train for more than 2 days. Had someone traced/found my brother at the right time, and admitted to hospital immediately, his condition would have improved by now. A few more hours of delay in admitting him to hospital would have cost him his life.
I would like to ask the concerned railway authorities a few questions:
1. Why didn't someone in Railway staff on duty (including the ticket collector) notice my brother's presence/condition at the right time? Isn't it the responsibility of the ticket collector to check the train or at least the reserved compartments and make sure that every passenger has left the train?
2. How did the suspected food poisoning happen? And who is to be blamed for it? Is there anyone in Indian Railways who can inquire about this incident to find out how this unfortunate event has happened? We came to know from our friends in New Delhi and in Bhatinda that the food poisoning (or someone mixing drugs in the food passengers carry so as to rob them of their belongings) incidents happen more often than not in that train or in other trains travelling in that route. Has any concerned railway authority or staff has ever done anything so as to avoid such recurring unfortunate incidents from happening?
3. If something wrong had happened to my brother at that time, who would be responsible?
4. The train he travelled went all the way to Jammu, and must have lied in the station overnight in extreme climate conditions (Minus 20 degrees), and in other parts of North India, before finally reaching Bhatinda on 5th afternoon for some cleaning purpose (as we were told). Doctors attending my brother have told us that besides the food my brother had at that time, the extreme temperature in train, and the extended duration the train halted on various stations is responsible for my brother's breathing problems. Is there anyone in Railways who can tell us what exactly happened with the train carrying my brother? I would like to know all the stations the train travelled, and the time it spent on each station, from 3rd morning till my brother was found on 5th afternoon.
5. Who will bear the medical expenses of my brother?
Hope I will get a satisfied response from the concerned authorities in Railways. I will be happy if the concerned authorities have time to call me on my mobile 8008494050 to explain me about the incident.
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