By the time the train arrived at the Podanur Junction railway station on 19 November, the carriage was opened by local authorities, who discovered that 64 prisoners had died.

[2] The 36 surviving prisoners were taken to a nearby hospital, where a further six died of their injuries, bringing the total death toll up to 70.

A prisoner later described his experiences on the train while it was in transit: "we were perspiring profusely and we realized that air was insufficient and we could not breathe.

"[3] When news of the incident came out, there was a public outcry in British India at the colonial authorities over their perceived negligence.

Several prominent Muslims dispatched telegraphs to British colonial officials in Delhi, including the Earl of Cromer, who demanded an investigation.