3 brothers among 19 dead: ‘Changed everything for us’

The accident which occurred on Friday eveny due to the collision and derailment of coaches involved three trains – the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express, the

SMVT Bengaluru-Howrah Express and a goods train. More than 270 lives have been lost in the tragedy and hundreds are injured.

The victims – Haran Gayen (40), Nishikant Gayen (35) and Dibakar Gayen (32) – were daily wage labourers and were on their way to Tamil Nadu on board the Coromandel Express to work in paddy fields. The Gayen family had been living in Charanikhali village for decades.

“The accident has changed everything for us. We can never recover from the loss. I have lost my father and my uncles. Can there be any bigger loss or pain for anyone than this,” said Avijit Gayen, Haran’s son, while talking to media persons on Sunday.

Officials said the family performed the brothers’ last rites on Sunday after identifying their bodies.

According to reports, at least 19 victims of the train accident were from South 24 Parganas district. Apart from the Gayen brothers, two more passengers from Basanti Uttar – Vikas Halder and Sanjay Halder – died in the accident. Officials said 17 passengers from Diamond Harbour town of South 24 Parganas district were among those injured. The town also reported a casualty.

Officials said 105 passengers who were injured belonged to the district and 30 survived the crash with minor injuries. Sources said 41 passengers from South 24 Parganas district are still missing. These passengers include 13 from Kakdwip, they added.

One Saurabh Roy from Paschim Mallikpur of Dhapadpi-2 village panchayat, under Baruipur police station, in Kolkata was among the train passengers who died in the crash, they added.