How a group of strangers helped a Thiruvananthapuram woman get her phone back

Asiya S., a native of Venjaramoodu in Thiruvananthapuram, boarded the 16650 Parasuram Express on December 5 from Chirayainkeezhu to Kozhikode to take her daughter for a monthly consultation after an eye surgery at a private hospital in Kozhikode last month. Though the journey was smooth as planned, they had to face the headwind when the train reached central Kerala.

When the train left Chalakudy station by around 12 noon, Asiya’s phone fell on the track through an emergency window.

The phone had her daughter’s medical documents and some vital contacts. Also, they had no hard cash with them. Co-passengers dissuaded them from pulling the chain as it would attract a heavy fine if it is not really an emergency situation. A youngster, Rasin Paleri from Kannur, who witnessed the women’s plight, called the railway helpline, but was given another number. Same instance repeated and Rasin called at least three to four numbers, but all in vain.

“Finally, I got the number of a Chalakudy railway station staff. The man was very rude and asked us to drop off at the next station and return for searching the phone on the tracks. By then, the train had left Thrissur, and there was no surety on whether the women will get their phone back even if they returned to Chalakudy. Moreover, they will miss the doctor’s appointment,” says Rasin. So Asiya and her daughter decided to go straight to Kozhikode and another co-passenger offered them ₹3,000 to meet immediate expenses.

Rasin then called a DYFI leader in Kannur who gave him the contact of R.L. Sreelal, DYFI Thrissur district president. Sreelal then connected the women with a local party worker in Chalakudy, who in turn informed about the situation to a railway porter in Chalakudy station, who was also an office-bearer of the CITU local unit. The CITU activist and his friend then began searching for the phone on the tracks.

“Later, when the train reached the Vadakara railway station, I received a call from Chalakudy informing that the CITU activist was able to find the phone on the tracks. This was immediately told to the women, who by then had boarded the Trivandrum Express by around 6. 25 p.m. soon after the appointment with the doctor,” says Rasin.

“When we reached Chalakudy station at around 10.15 p.m., the man was waiting for us and handed over the phone,” says Asiya. Though the screen was broken in the impact of the fall, the phone worked fine. It was the collective effort by a group of people that helped us get the phone back, says an elated Asiya.