Rafiganj (Bihar), September 10
Jayanto Chatterjee was shaken awake to the noise of crashing metal which was soon drowned in pain-stricken cries of his co-passengers in the 2301 Up Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express.
The railway employee sustained a leg fracture and serious head injuries in the accident when his coach fell upside down. He was lucky to survive. About 120 persons were feared killed when the train jumped tracks and fell into the flooded Dhawi rivulet.
As the sunlight removed the darkness of the night, the gravity of the losses caused by the derailment of four bogies of the New Delhi-bound express near Rafiganj in Aurangabad district last night could be realised in its totality.
The otherwise sleepy Rafiganj is located in one of the most extremist dominated areas of the state.
But for the efforts of the local people and the courage of three or four uninjured co-passengers who, braving the torrential rains that lashed the region for hours, saved many lives, the death toll in the accident could have well crossed the 200 mark.
Villagers, who had gone to bed late in the night after celebrating the ‘Teej’ festival, rushed to the spot on hearing the cries of the passengers and the loud sound of crashing metal.
Some youths reached the spot with gas torches. Then the rescue and relief operation started with the effort of villagers, local police and youths.
They were successful in retrieving several passengers from the mangled bogies. Some passengers, who suffered minor injuries, also helped co-travellers writhing in pain to come out from the bogies.
At least 20 co-passengers were rescued by a retired Army jawan. A team of doctors joined the rescue and relief efforts in the night. The injured were shifted to hospitals in Gaya, Aurangabad and Rafiganj. The rescue and relief operation was also joined by the employees of a construction company, which also offered vehicles.
Many injured passengers appreciated the rescue and relief operation. They, however, expressed their dissatisfaction with the standard of healthcare at the Sadar Hospital.
A Gaya report said two injured persons died at Magadh Medical College in Gaya.
Punnita Gupta, admitted to Magadh Medical College, said she fell unconscious. She regained consciousness when the villagers
sprinkled water on her face.
UNI
