Rutgers graduates Navam Kaul, Malaika Chitre killed by New York subway train

Two 24-year-old Rutgers University graduates, Indian-origin Malaika Chitre and Nepalese-origin Navam Kaul, were killed after being struck by a subway train in Manhattan early Sunday, with investigators still trying to determine why the two were on the tracks.

Chitre, from Dayton in South Brunswick, New Jersey, and Kaul, from Sayreville, New Jersey, were longtime friends who graduated from Rutgers in 2024. Police said the pair were struck by a southbound Number 4 train at the Spring Street station in lower Manhattan at about 3.14am on September 13.

What happened at the Manhattan subway station

According to reports, a video circulating online showed Kaul and Chitre sitting on the subway tracks shortly before the train arrived. The train operator told officials that she saw a man and a woman on the tracks and attempted to stop, but was unable to prevent the collision. Reports differ on the precise location, with the incident identified as the Spring Street station, which is in lower Manhattan.

An MTA report indicated that one of the two may have initially fallen onto the tracks and that the other appeared to have entered the tracks to help. The circumstances leading to the pair being on the tracks remain unclear.

The train operator told officials that the woman appeared to be laughing and pulling the man towards her when the train struck them. Other reports said the emergency brake was activated, but the train could not stop in time.

Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Around 100 passengers were aboard the train and were evacuated onto the platform after the collision.

Police investigate drugs, alcohol and suicide theories

Investigators are examining whether drugs or alcohol may have played a role in the incident. Police sources cited by the New York Post said they are looking into whether either victim was impaired.

Authorities have also searched for a suicide note. None has been found so far, although suicide has not been ruled out. There is currently no publicly established motive for why Kaul and Chitre were on the tracks, and authorities have not reached a final conclusion about what happened.

The MTA report also said it was unclear whether the man or woman initially fell onto the tracks. Investigators are therefore examining the possibility that one person entered the tracks while attempting to help the other, alongside other possible explanations.

Who were Navam Kaul and Malaika Chitre?

Kaul and Chitre were longtime friends and part of the same South Asian social circle. Both graduated from Rutgers University in 2024.

Chitre, who was from Dayton, New Jersey, graduated with a degree in public health and a minor in business administration. She was working as a quality operations specialist at Acadia Pharmaceuticals and had recently begun pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy degree at Temple University.

Kaul, who was from Sayreville, worked as a financial data analyst at Bloomberg in New York. His parents had moved to the United States from Nepal about three decades ago.

Friends and acquaintances have expressed shock at the deaths, describing the pair as successful young professionals who had only recently begun their careers.

Subway deaths remain a wider concern in New York

The incident comes amid continued concerns over people being struck by trains in New York's subway system. According to the MTA data cited in the original report, an average of 223 people were struck by trains annually over the previous five years.

In 2025, 228 people were injured either after being struck by trains or falling between cars, with 89 of those victims dying.

The investigation into the deaths of Kaul and Chitre remains ongoing.