Mother who felt a failure dived under train with children

Last updated at 15:06 26 September 2006


A mother who jumped in front of a train with her two children had been driven to despair after her husband left her to cope alone with the family's needs.

Navjeet Sidhu, 27, leapt in front of the Heathrow Express at Southall station after years of depression having become convinced she was a terrible mother.

Today an inquest heard that she had jumped holding her 22-month-old son and pulled her struggling five-year-old daughter with them. They were hit almost instantly by the 100mph train.

At West London coroner's court today Det Sgt Alan Bardsley of the British Transport Police told how London-born Mrs Sidhu met her husband-to-be Manjit, 33, during a family trip to relatives in India.

The couple married in 1996 but the birth of their daughter Simran in 1999 caused their first problems.

The inquest heard how Mrs Sidhu felt she had let down the family by giving birth to a girl instead of a son.

By the time the girl was three Mrs Sidhu had been diagnosed with depression and obsessive compulsive disorder.

Mr Sidhu, a Post Office worker, was unable to cope and left her to return to India in late 2003 shortly after the birth of their son Aman.

Under pressure to maintain the family's honour, Mrs Sidhu travelled to India and persuaded her husband to return but only on the proviso that she undertake all domestic chores, give up her part-time job as a receptionist and take full responsibility for bringing up both children.

A report by consultant psychiatrist Dr Sarwat Nauroze stated how she had sought help in 2004 feeling "unable to cope with caring for her children".

Mr Bardsley told the hearing "her Sikh family had high expectations for her to manage the home and look after the children but she was struggling with a depressive illness.

"She felt she was not a good mother but social services found the children were well cared for."

The inquest heard that just before her death Mrs Sidhu called her husband and said: "I am sorry for everything. Say sorry to everyone. I have always loved you. I am going forever."

Mr Sidhu desperately searched Southall, eventually going to the station. He found his wife and daughter dead and his son clinging to life.

Coroner Alison Thompson recorded that Mrs Sidhu had committed suicide while her two children had been unlawfully killed.

In February, six months after Mrs Sidhu's death, her mother also took her life at Southall station.

Satwant Kaur Sodhi, 56, had been suffering depression and been on medication since the death of her daughter and grandchildren. A note read: "I can't bear my children's death. I do not want to live my life without them." The coroner recorded a verdict of suicide.

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