Tragedy struck two New Jersey families with Rutgers University graduates Navam Kaul and Malaika Chitre, both 24, hit by a subway train in Manhattan.
IMAGE: Malaika Chitre. Photograph: Kind courtesy Malaika Chitre/LinkedIn
Key Points
Navam Kaul and Malaika Chitre, both 24, recent Rutgers University graduates and of South Asian origin, died after being struck by a southbound No. 4 train at Manhattan’s Spring Street station.
The incident occurred early on Sunday morning, with Kaul reportedly falling or entering the tracks, and Chitre following in an attempt to help.
Surveillance footage shows the pair on the tracks shortly before the train arrived, but investigators have not determined their intentions.
The deaths have caused widespread grief among their families, friends, and the New Jersey community, as authorities continue their inquiry.
Two 24-year-old New Jersey friends and recent Rutgers University graduates were killed after being struck by a subway train at Manhattan’s Spring Street station early Sunday, in a tragedy that has left their families and communities devastated and searching for answers.
The victims were identified as Navam Kaul and Malaika Chitre, both 24 and longtime friends from New Jersey.
The two had graduated from Rutgers University, New Jersey, in 2024.
According to law enforcement sources, the incident occurred at around 3:14 am local time when Kaul either fell or entered the tracks at the Spring Street station.
Chitre subsequently went onto the tracks, reportedly in an attempt to help him.
As a southbound No. 4 train approached the station, the operator applied the emergency brakes but was unable to stop the train in time.
The pair were struck and died at the scene.
A news report in the New York Post newspaper said, ‘Investigators were looking into whether one or both victims were so intoxicated they didn’t understand the gravity of the situation before it was too late.’
‘Chitre appeared to try to pull Kaul toward her, before the pair were hit by the oncoming No. 4 train at around 3:15 am,’ the New York Post report said.
The report further said, ‘No suicide notes were found yet by investigating agencies.’
Ongoing Investigation and Community Impact
Surveillance footage reportedly shows the two sitting on the tracks shortly before the train arrived.
However, the footage alone does not establish what they were thinking or why they remained there, and investigators have not announced a final explanation for their actions.
IMAGE: Navam Kaul. Photograph: Kind courtesy Navam Kaul/Facebook
Kaul worked as a financial data analyst at Bloomberg while Chitre worked in quality operations at Acadia Pharmaceuticals and was studying pharmacy at Temple University.
The police are investigating the circumstances that led the pair onto the tracks, including whether alcohol or other substances may have impaired their judgment, news reports said.
Authorities have not reached any final conclusion about the cause of the incident.
The deaths have prompted grief among friends, former classmates, colleagues and the wider New Jersey community.
As the investigation continues, authorities are expected to examine surveillance footage and other evidence to establish what happened in the moments before the train arrived.
For now, the circumstances surrounding the deaths remain under investigation, and officials have urged that conclusions about the pair’s intentions not be drawn before the inquiry is complete.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
