Midland mother's state of mind unknown before death
A woman's state of mind before she was hit by a train in Smethwick will never be known for certain, an inquest heard.
Mother-of-one Kiran Salim Siddiqi was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 1998, Smethwick Coroner's Court heard.
The 37-year-old divorcee had medicated her illness and always cooperated with mental health services but she had re-lapses of problems over the years, when she would have delusions, the court was told.
Ms Siddiqi, of Wellington Road, Edgbaston, died after being hit by a non-stop train travelling through Smethwick Galton Bridge station on November 30 last year.
The cause of death was multiple fatal injuries from the collision.
Eye witness Teresa Drake gave a statement to the inquest to say she was en route to the Good Food Show at Birmingham's NEC at around 10am when a warning came over the station's loudspeaker that the oncoming train on platform three would not stop.
She then described Ms Siddiqi walking to the edge of the platform, and jumping onto the tracks with her arms out horizontally, before she was then hit by the train.
She added: "I relive this incident every day and have anxiety and need to see my GP."
Malcolm Dobson, from British Transport Police, also provided a statement after reviewing CCTV saying there was 'no suspicious activity' prior to Ms Siddiqi's death.
Neil Riley, the driver of the Virgin Pendolino service from London Euston to Wolverhampton that collided with Ms Siddiqi said he did not see her prior to hearing a 'loud bang' and braking hard.
Assistant Black Country coroner Angus Smillie said no note had been left at the station to suggest Ms Siddiqi's state of mind before she was hit and mobile phone records provided no further clues.
He said he could not be certain whether she was suffering a mental health episode or relapse at the time of her death and so recorded an open verdict.
The inquest heard she leaves behind an 11-year-old daughter.
Her uncle Dr Aleem Akhtar has previously described his niece, a qualified solicitor who was working as a volunteer in a hairdresser's salon before her death, as a 'gentle and loving person'.
