The casualties in Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express could have been even higher, but for the efforts of local villagers, doctors and some mishap survivors, who worked tirelessly braving incessant rains in pitch darkness to save lives of passengers, eyewitnesses and survivors said. It was around 10.45 pm yesterday when the villagers were preparing to go to bed after the ladies had performed Teej puja when they heard screaming of trapped passengers and hurried towards the accident site. They were carrying gas lights which helped extricate the passengers from the mangled bogies of the train that had smashed into each other. A few injured passengers did not care for their wounds and joined the villagers in the rescue operation. A few local doctors, who reached the site shortly after the tragedy, administered first aid to the injured passengers and helped the district administration in sending them to hospitals in Aurangabad and adjacent Gaya districts.
