Indian-Origin Woman Dies Trying To Save Friend Who Fell Onto New York Subway Track

September 15, 2026

New York: An Indian-origin woman tragically died after diving onto a New York City subway track in an attempt to save a friend who had fallen onto the tracks. Both were killed by an oncoming train that could not stop in time, according to police.

The tragedy, captured on video, occurred early Sunday morning (local time) at a Manhattan subway station while the two friends were waiting for a train.

Navam Kaul ended up on the track, after which Malaika Chitre tried to save him, police said. However, the approaching train was unable to stop in time.

NYPD Investigates Subway Tragedy

The New York Police Department was investigating the incident on Monday. The train operator told supervisors that after spotting the two people on the track, there was not enough time to stop the train, according to reports citing sources.

Kaul and Chitre, who grew up in nearby towns in New Jersey, both graduated from Rutgers University in 2024.

Rajnikant Pipalia, who told the media that his son was a friend of Kaul, said Kaul’s family had immigrated from Nepal. He described Kaul and Chitre as having grown up in the same community and being part of the same South Asian social group, celebrating festivals and spending time together.

Families Reject Sensational Reports

Chitre’s family criticised media reports surrounding the incident, saying some reports had included sensational speculation about the two friends and the tragedy without factual basis.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Chitre was pursuing a doctorate in pharmacy studies at Temple University while working as a quality operations specialist at Acadia Pharmaceuticals.

Kaul, who held a business degree, was working as a data analyst at Bloomberg, a financial services and news company, according to his LinkedIn profile.