THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The hartal called by Sabarimala Karma Samithi turned out to be a nightmare for the family of a woman cancer patient, who reached the state capital all the way from Wayanad. 

Pathumma, the 64-year-old cancer-stricken woman, became one of the silent victims of hartal as she died on the platform of Thiruvananthapuram railway station after collapsing while alighting from Venad Express. She was undergoing cancer treatment for quite some time at the Regional Cancer Centre and had come to the city for a check-up. 

The family could not summon an ambulance to shift her to hospital while she complained of uneasiness. Being a hartal day, ambulances were not available in the vicinity. Finally, the police ambulance came to their rescue, but it was too late.