Kochi Metro passenger suffers cardiac arrest; co-passenger doctor’s swift CPR saves life

Kochi: A 60-year-old native of Tirur in Malappuram was given a  lease of life following the timely intervention of a doctor after suffering a cardiac arrest while travelling on the Kochi Metro.

Dr Sabaha Shabnam, an anaesthetist and critical care specialist at Kadavanthra Indira Gandhi Co-operative Hospital, saved the passenger by administering prompt first aid.

The incident occurred on the morning of August 20. After seeing off her mother to Kozhikode at the South Railway Station, Dr Sabaha boarded the Metro at the South station to return to her flat in Pathadipalam. As the train approached Maharaja’s College station, she noticed a crowd gathering inside the carriage and went to investigate.

A passenger travelling alone had suddenly collapsed. Dr Sabaha immediately checked his pulse, identified that he was suffering a cardiac arrest, and performed CPR. The passenger soon regained consciousness and was subsequently shifted to a hospital by the Metro response team.

Dr Sabaha emphasised the vital need for public awareness regarding CPR, especially given the rising incidence of sudden collapse deaths. She noted that even those familiar with the procedure often freeze in critical moments, highlighting that CPR is essential to restore blood circulation.

Following the rescue, Dr Sabaha Shabnam was honoured at the Metro headquarters by a delegation, led by Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) managing director Loknath Behera. She was also felicitated during a board meeting at Indira Gandhi Hospital by president M O John and secretary Ajay Tharayil.

Dr Sabaha is married to Muhammad Irshad, a software engineer. The couple has two daughters, Saha Yashal and Insha Mariyam, who study at St Paul’s International School in Kalamassery.