Our Bureau
New York, NY
An Indian-origin woman and her Nepali-American friend, both 24, were killed after being struck by an approaching train at a New York City subway station, according to US media reports.
The victims were identified as Malaika Chitre of Dayton, New Jersey, and Navam Kaul of Sayreville, New Jersey. The two had attended Rutgers University together.
According to reports, the circumstances surrounding how the two ended up on the tracks remain under investigation. One account suggested that one of them may have fallen onto the roadbed, prompting the other to climb down in an attempt to help.
The incident took place at the Spring Street subway station in Lower Manhattan at around 3:15 a.m. on Sunday, when the pair were on the tracks and were hit by a southbound No. 4 train, the New York Police Department (NYPD) said.
A video recorded by a bystander and later circulated widely online appears to show the two sitting on the tracks shortly before the train approached. The footage has drawn widespread attention because it captures the moments immediately preceding the fatal collision.
The train operator reportedly told supervisors that she spotted the two people on the tracks and activated the emergency brakes. However, the train was unable to stop before reaching them.
The deaths have left the families and friends of the two young graduates facing a devastating loss. Their connection through Rutgers University has also brought renewed attention to the circumstances of the tragedy as authorities continue to establish exactly what happened in the early hours of the morning.