Kanchanjunga Express train accident: Eid celebrations forgotten, a village steps in to save lives

At least nine persons were killed and around 40 injured in the accident. “I had just returned after offering namaz and everyone in the house was in a mood to celebrate when we suddenly heard a loud sound. I rushed towards the railway tracks near my house and saw the derailed coaches. I saw the loco pilot of the goods train lying under the wheels of the passenger train. By the time I reached him, he was already dead,” said Momirul.

Momirul was joined by over 150 residents of Nirmal Jote who pitched in with the rescue operations. The celebrations forgotten, the villagers rushed to offer help in rescuing the passengers and tending to the injured. In the wake of the absence of ambulances, many of them took passengers to nearby hospitals in their own vehicles. There were also instances of passengers taking shelter in local residents’ homes to rest.

According to eyewitnesses, the police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and disaster management teams could only reach the accident site after more than an hour.

Mohammad Nazrul, another resident of Nirmal Jote, said he found six bodies at the crash site and rescued around 35 people.

“I was getting ready for the festival. As word about the accident spread, I went to the site. There was an elderly woman who was injured and was unable to stand. I saw her crying for water. She looked helpless. I comforted her and later her relatives came from Siliguri and took her back,” resident Taslima Khatoon said.

“I remember watching the news when the Balasore train accident happened last year but never thought I would witness something like this,” she added.