Rescue operation being conducted after Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express and another train from Yeswanthpur derailed near Baleswar in Odisha. (PTI)
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The train tragedy in Odisha weighed particularly heavily on neighbouring West Bengal – one of the trains had left from the state’s Shalimar railway station, while another was heading to Howrah station.
As news started pouring in of mounting casualties, panicked relatives in search for answers lined up at the stations.
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At Howrah, destination for the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express which had derailed, an anxious Sapan Chowdhury (60) waited for his daughter Aishi Chowdhury (23). She was alive, he told The Indian Express, but had received injuries from glass shards in the accident. Sapan said his daughter works in the IT industry in Karnataka.
Also at the station was Sheikh Moinuddin (52), father of Nafisa Parveen (21). “She is pursuing nursing in Karnataka and was coming home for the holidays. I spoke to her over the phone. She was in the train that derailed but she’s okay,” he said.
Ripan Das (29) is another survivor of the accident. The migrant labourer was returning from Karnataka, his brother Sujay Das (33) said. “He was in an ambulance when he called me. He has injuries on his neck, waist and leg,” Das said.
At a press conference, the state’s Chief Secretary, Harikrishna Dwivedi, said they had information that the accident was “severe and grave”.
“Exact number might not be known but we came to know that many people are injured, and unfortunately some may have lost their lives,” he said.
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He said the state was in touch with the Odisha administration and a team headed by state minister Manas Bhunia was being sent there. “We have already sent some ambulances to rescue injured passengers and super-speciality hospitals of West Midnapore and Kolkata are also ready to accommodate them. We assured the Odisha administration that we are ready to give necessary support,” he said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that “some of our outbound people have been seriously affected/injured”. “We are sending a 5-6 member team to the spot to cooperate with the Odisha government and railway authorities and to assist rescue operations. I am monitoring the situation personally with the Chief Secretary and other senior officers,” she said.
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
Ravik Bhattacharya is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist currently serving as the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, Ravik possesses deep expertise across a wide range of critical subjects and geographical areas.
Experience & Authority
Current Role: Chief of Bureau, The Indian Express, Kolkata.
Expertise: Extensive reporting across West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Ravik specializes in politics, crime, major incidents and issues, and investigative stories, demonstrating a robust command of complex and sensitive subjects.
Experience: His long and distinguished career includes key reporting roles at several prestigious publications, including The Asian Age, The Statesman, The Telegraph, and The Hindustan Times. Ravik's current role marks his second stint with The Indian Express, having previously served as a Principal Correspondent in the Kolkata bureau from 2005 to 2010.
Major Award: Ravik's authority and quality of work are substantiated by his winning of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for Political Reporting.
Education: His strong academic foundation includes a Bachelor's degree with English Honours from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University, and a PG Diploma in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University.
Ravik Bhattacharya's extensive tenure, specialized beat coverage, and notable award confirm his status as a trusted and authoritative voice in Indian journalism, particularly for stories emanating from Eastern India. ... Read More
