Odisha train tragedy: Feel fortunate to be safe… but traumatised, say survivors

Talking to The Sunday Express after reaching the Howrah railway station on Saturday, Dola said the experience has left her feeling fortunate that her family was safe yet traumatised over the tragic fate of other train passengers.

“I jumped over a body and saw severed limbs lying on the tracks. I don’t know whether to feel fortunate or bad as I saw a child’s body while I was running with my five-year-old son in my arms. I just felt like breaking down  but I hugged my son tightly and ran to safety,” said Dola.

“It was after one-and-a-half years that we decided to take a break from work and visit our home in Krishnanagar. My wife was putting my younger son Salam to sleep and I was playing with my elder son Sakib when suddenly we heard a sound that resembled a blast and the train overturned. We fell on each other. Luckily, we both had held our sons tightly. We had injuries on our face and were bleeding. For a few seconds, we were not sure if we would survive,” said Dola’s husband Asu Sheikh.

While Asu is a carpenter by profession in Bengaluru, his wife Dola works in a private company’s housekeeping department. Dola said that the family climbed on top of the train and then jumped off to the other side one by one. “It was after 20 minutes that the rescue teams reached the spot. I saw death so closely that I don’t know if train journeys would ever be the same for me,” she added.

1/12

Rescue operation underway following an accident involving Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Express and a goods train, in Balasore district, Saturday, June 3, 2023. (PTI)

2/12

At least 238 people have been killed, and over 900 injured (Photo : Reuters)

3/12

Rescue teams search the wreckage of the trains during a rescue operation after the triple train mishap, in Balasore district. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)

4/12

The accident took place at 7 am yesterday when a passenger train hit the derailed coaches of another train followed by a collision with a goods train causing a crash of several coaches. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)

5/12

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishav visited the accident site and took stock of the situation (Photo :PTI)

6/12

Visuals from the crash site showed smashed train coaches torn open and twisted train tracks. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)

7/12

NDRF personnel carry out rescue work (PTI Photo)

8/12

People, who were injured in trains collision, lie in a hospital corridor in Balasore district in the eastern state of Odisha, India, June 3, 2023. REUTERS

9/12

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik meets an injured at a hospital in Balasore (PTI)

10/12

An official gives a demonstration about the Odisha train accident as Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs a meeting to take the stock of situation after the mishap, in New Delhi, Saturday, June 3, 2023. (PTI Photo)

11/12

Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes stock of the situation at the site of the accident in Balasore district, Saturday, June 3, 2023. Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is also seen. (PTI Photo)

12/12

Emergency helpline number has been released by the Odisha Government ( Photo : PTI)

The couple said they took shelter at a local’s house near the accident site and cleaned their injuries. It was only after they reached Howrah station that they were given first aid and water, they alleged. “I just want to go back to my hometown with my family and cry. It’s so painful to see so many people dead and not being able to help. I even saw a woman trying to pull her dead son out of the derailed coaches but by the time we jumped on the other side, she was dead too,” added Dola.

Like Dola and her family, there were hundreds of passengers who reached Howrah railway station after spending a night in anxiety at the site of the accident. “All of us have escaped death. I have never heard a louder sound. I couldn’t believe that I am still breathing and I am now back in Bengal,” said Moti Sheikh who had cuts on his head and arms.

Bus carrying injured passengers collides with van: Police

Meanwhile, a bus carrying injured passengers from Odisha’s Balasore collided head-on with a pick-up van on Saturday near Medinipur town in Paschim Medinipur district.  No casualties were reported, police said.  Police sources said the accident occurred at the national highway near Medinipur town. Following the accident, traffic movement on the highway was disrupted but returned to normal after the police intervened. Several passengers travelling in the bus are feared to have suffered minor injuries, sources said. The police have started rescuing the injured and sending them to different hospitals.

– With ENS, Kolkata