Staff nurse delivers baby aboard moving Duronto Express with thread and knife
In a display of presence of mind and medical skill, a 27-year-old staff nurse delivered a baby girl aboard the moving Duronto Express train in Maharashtra on June 24. The mother, 36-year-old Anjum Bano Wasim Akhtar, had been travelling from Nagpur to Mumbai with her two daughters when she went into labour around 10 pm. She stayed quiet for several hours, only informing fellow passengers when the pain became unbearable at nearly 2 am.
The train was racing past Bhusawal in Jalgaon district with no scheduled halt. Passengers repeatedly dialled Railway helpline 139, but were told help would only be available at the next station. The baby, however, was not going to wait. Minu Bhaisare, a staff nurse at Bombay Hospital & Medical Research Centre who was travelling in Coach S5, stepped forward. She found that the amniotic sac had already ruptured and the baby's head was crowning.
With no medical supplies available, Bhaisare used a thread to tie the umbilical cord and a knife to cut it. She delivered the baby safely inside the moving train. Both mother and child were later taken to a hospital at the next station for further care. Railway officials and passengers praised Bhaisare's quick thinking and courage. The incident highlights the challenges faced by pregnant women travelling on long-distance trains and the importance of having medical personnel among passengers.
