A woman from Arunachal Pradesh gave birth to a baby in the running Shramik train on way back from West Bengal.
The baby was born to Surjo Mala Chakma at around 11.55 am close to New Jalpaiguri Station in West Bengal on Thursday afternoon.
According to Sujikko Chakma, a co-passenger of the 150-members returnee Chakma team, they were coming home to Arunachal Pradesh from Tamil Nadu while the maternity pain suddenly mounted and subsequently gave birth to a female baby in the running train.
This is their first child.
Wife of Biro Kr Chakma from Jyostnapur at Diyun in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, the bold mother showed extremely courage during her labour -pain struggle in the train where no immediate services or relief measures could be provided.
For past one year, the duos have been working as Tailor Helper of a company in Tamil Nadu.
Owing to the countrywide lockdown due to this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, they became jobless and having exhausted all their hard-earned savings have been forced to return home with no option left.
Meanwhile, several Chakma NGOs and students’ body immediately started contacting the Railway helpline, Railway Protection Force, Medical Helpline to extend necessary medical help earlier when the mother was undergoing labour pain.
“Fortunately, the delivery took place before they reached NJP, where the medical team was waiting. The motther was administered necessary injection, medicines, fluids, food besides also assessing the baby’s health,” informed the co-worker.
However, Sujikko Chakma of Dharmapur III village under Diyun Circle further told that both the new born guest and the mother are in good condition and continuing their journey towards home.
They have reached Guwahati by Friday morning.
Several Chakma youths are working in cities and metropolitan cities with no employment opportunities and sufficient cultivable land for the Chakmas in the State, for land allotment was given only once in 1970s when the total chakma population was just around 30000 which has swelled to 65000 in five decades.
A major chunk of the Chakma community in Changlang District of Arunachal Pradesh has been accommodated in a government demarcated settlement area of Diyun.