Suleman Chitera 
By Suleman Chitera, MFN Reporter
October 23, 2026
A 35-year-old man is fighting for his life at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe after a train ran over him while he was sleeping on a railway line in the Kanengo Industrial Area.
The man, identified as Dyson Kumalinga, sustained severe head injuries in the incident, which occurred at around 11pm on October 22, 2026, in Area 28.
Kanengo Police Station Public Relations Officer, Sub-Inspector Macfarlen Mseteka, said Kumalinga was returning to his home in Chatata Village from a drinking place in Mgona when he stopped at a railway crossing and fell asleep.
According to Mseteka, the train was travelling from Kanengo towards Salima when it ran over Kumalinga.
He said the injured man was rushed to Kamuzu Central Hospital, where he is currently receiving medical treatment.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about public safety along railway lines, with police reporting that it is the fourth railway-related accident recorded during September and October alone.
Police have since warned the public against sleeping, playing or conducting business on railway lines, saying such activities expose people to serious injuries and the risk of death.
Mseteka has particularly urged people living near railway lines to remain vigilant and exercise caution, noting that the railway connecting Mchinji, Kanengo and Salima is now operational.
He said members of the public should avoid railway tracks and crossings unless it is safe to cross, and should never treat railway lines as places to rest or socialise.
The latest incident serves as a reminder of the dangers associated with railway lines and the need for communities to take safety precautions as train services resume.
