Alipurduar: A pregnant woman gave birth inside a train toilet at New Alipurduar station on Wednesday, thanks to the swift response of Railway Protection Force (RPF) Constable Swapna Das. Both the mother and newborn are safe.
The incident occurred around around 12 pm, Constable Das noticed the woman in severe labour pain. She alerted Railway officials and the Alipurduar Railway Junction Hospital. However, the woman was unable to wait for medical help. Das quickly took the woman to the toilet of the S8 reserved coach of the Down
Teesta-Torsa Express. At 12:10 pm, the woman delivered a baby girl. Swapna Das wrapped the baby in a soft cloth and checked vital signs until doctors arrived at 12:55 pm. Both were later shifted to the Railway Hospital.
The woman was identified as Neha Devi (26) from Mathurapur, Bhagalpur, Bihar. She had been travelling with her husband, Rupesh Mahaldar, on the Guwahati-Malda Town Express but deboarded due to labour pains. Rupesh said: “I can’t thank the RPF and railway staff enough.” Swapna Das said: “I did it out of humanity.”
In recognition, Northeast Frontier Railway GM Chetan Kumar Srivastava awarded Rs 25,000 to Das and three other RPF personnel.