GTA helps Kalimpong family take woman's body home

SNS,, DARJELLING/SILIGURI, 29 MAY 2020: The body of 51-year-old Kipa Sherpa, a resident of Dalapchand in Kalimpong, who died on the way travelling from Delhi to the New Jalpaiguri Station on the night of 27 May in the Shrarnik Special Express Train, reached her home today. Thanks to the help extended by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

According to the GTA Help-Desk in-charge, Binny Sharma, they learnt about the woman late in the night on 27 May."She tragically died

on arrival at the Etawah Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh. We apprised the District Magistrate, Kalimpong, and Superintendent of Police, Kalimpong of the matter and they immediately got in touch with their counterparts in Etawah." Mr Sharma said today.

According to him, the woman had complained of being unwell after she boarded the train, "as it was overcrowded and there was no water available."

Maintaining that the death was not due to Covid-related illnesses, Mr Sharma also alleged that the woman's family members had requested some train ticket examiners, the Government Railway Police and the Delhi Police, "who, however, did not help them." He added that GTA chairman Anit Thapa had also spoken to the family members during that time."They were kept in the waiting room at the sration and the body was taken to the local government hospital.

Post-mortem was conducted in the morning on the 28th, and the body sent to Siliguri on an ambulance, along with a vehicle for family members.

After reaching Siliguri today afternoon, her body was taken to her home from Siliguri on the initiative of the GTA chairman. The GTA has also announced that it will provide Rs 1 lakh for the assistance of the family of the deceased," Mr Sharma said.