Two recent Rutgers graduates tragically lost their lives after being struck by a subway train in Manhattan early Sunday morning.
Two 24-year-old friends from New Jersey, Malaika Chitre and Navam Kaul, were killed after being struck by a subway train at the Spring Street station in downtown Manhattan early Sunday morning.
The incident occurred around 3:14 a.m. when the victims were hit by a southbound No. 4 train. Emergency responders arrived promptly at the scene, but both Chitre and Kaul were pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
According to reports, the two friends were seen on the tracks shortly before the collision. It remains unclear how Kaul ended up on the tracks—whether he fell or climbed down intentionally. Witnesses believe that Chitre may have gone onto the tracks in an attempt to assist Kaul.
The train operator reported to investigators that she saw a man and a woman sitting on the tracks as the train approached. Despite activating the emergency brakes, she was unable to stop the train in time.
Video footage circulating on social media appears to show Chitre pulling Kaul toward her as the train approached. The operator noted that Chitre was laughing and trying to pull Kaul toward her moments before the tragic impact.
Following the incident, approximately 100 passengers aboard the train were evacuated. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are still working to determine how the two ended up on the tracks and what transpired in the moments leading up to the collision.
Investigators are also looking into whether intoxication or other factors may have played a role in the incident.
Both Chitre and Kaul were graduates of Rutgers University, having completed their degrees in 2024. Chitre was employed as an operations specialist at Acadia Pharmaceuticals, while Kaul worked as a data analyst at Bloomberg.
Friends and family of the victims expressed their shock and grief, noting that Chitre and Kaul had grown up in the same South Asian community and shared a close-knit circle of friends.
Rajnikant Pipalia, the mother of one of Kaul’s friends, spoke to reporters about the promising futures of the two graduates. “There is nothing in his life that would make him do anything stupid,” she said, reflecting on Kaul’s character and accomplishments.
As the investigation continues, authorities are expected to review surveillance footage and toxicology results to gain a clearer understanding of the circumstances surrounding this tragic event.
According to The New York Post, the investigation remains active as officials seek to piece together the events leading up to the collision.