A woman from Sikkim travelling on a special train ferrying stranded people from Gujarat to the Northeast died of suspected dengue midway at Katni in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday.

Rinzing C. Bhutia, the coordinator (Covid-19)-cum-state nodal officer, said Chandra Subba, a resident of Dentam in West Sikkim, and her younger sister Bishnu Maya were part of the 160-odd passengers from the state on the special train that had originated from Vadodara in Gujarat at 4pm on Friday.

“When the train reached Katni at 5.30am yesterday, Chandra Subba was found to be having fever. The authorities there asked her to disembark and admitted her to the district hospital in Katni. Doctors diagnosed her to be suffering from dengue. Since she was having acute dehydration and her platelet count was very low, it was decided to shift her to the government medical college and hospital at Jabalpur, but, unfortunately she died on the way,” said Bhutia.

Her younger sister was also admitted to the hospital in Jabalpur after she showed symptoms of fatigue. The swab samples of both the sisters have been sent for Covid-19 tests and the results are awaited.

Sources said Chandra, who has two children, was working in a private firm in Vadodara. Her husband Mahendra Thapa lives in Dentam.

Sikkim chief minister P. S. Tamang (Golay) mourned the death of Chandra and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2.5 lakh each for her daughter and son.

“I am extremely sad to know about the untimely demise of Mrs Chandra Subba of Dentam, West Sikkim…her last rites were conducted under the presence of SDM Jabalpur. I thank the Madhya Pradesh Government for lending their support in the hour of need,” said Golay in a condolence message issued here.

All the other 158 persons from the state travelling on the train from Gujarat reached Sikkim early Sunday morning. “All of them have been sent to quarantine centres in different districts,” the nodal officer told The Telegraph.

Sikkim is the only Covid-19-free state in the country.