As he set out with his family to his paternal home in Assam’s Tinsukia, 39-year-old Dipak Bhandari, who works at a bar in Delhi, posed with his wife and eight-year-old twin daughters for a selfie at the Anand Vihar railway station from where they were about to board the North East Express on Tuesday.
However, 14 hours later in Bihar’s Buxar, he saw the lifeless body of one of the twins who had fallen out of the derailed train. He entrusted a nearby shopkeeper to look after the other twin while he walked around the accident site looking for his wife. A few metres away, he found her, 33-year-old Usha, also lying dead.
Dipak’s wife and daughter were among four persons who died after the Guwahati-bound North East Express derailed near Raghunathpur railway station in Buxar on Wednesday night.
Abu Zayed (27), who ran a small business at Bishanpur in Kishanganj, also died in the accident. He was returning home from Delhi, where he had gone to see off his sister and brother-in-law, who were on their way to the UAE. The fourth deceased was yet to be identified.
‘They were all brought dead with signs of multiple injuries. Usha and her daughter Akriti had suffered fatal injuries after falling off the train,’ said Dr G K Yadav, in-charge of the Raghunathpur Community Health Centre where the bodies were brought after the accident.
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Four people died and 60 were injured after six compartments of the Kamakhya Junction-bound 12506 Northeast Express derailed near Raghunathpur railway station in Bihar’s Buxar district. (AP photo)
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Buxar Police said the incident took place around 9.50 pm after when the 12506 Northeast Express, from Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi to Kamakhya Junction in Guwahati, had left Buxar station and was near Raghunathpur railway station, about 40 km from Buxar and 160 km from Patna. (PTI photo)
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Disaster management and health departments, Buxar administration and the locals reached the site of the accident. (PTI photo)
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All compartments and engine of the train derailed, and three AC compartments turned sideways. Two AC compartments, which suffered the brunt of the damage, reported four deaths. (AP photo)
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In photo, police can be seen carrying out rescue operation at the site of the accident. On Wednesday, the darkness had caused difficulties in the rescue operations, a railway official said. (PTI photo)
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The Indian Railways Thursday ordered a high-level inquiry into the derailment of the Delhi-Kamakhya North East Express. (Express photo by Santosh Singh)
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Prima facie investigation by the Railways suggests the engine driver had to apply the emergency brakes when the train was running at speed of 128 kmph at around 9.40 pm on Wednesday. (PTI Photo)
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Thirty-three persons were referred to government hospitals at Bhojpur, Buxar and Patna. Another 38 passengers were discharged from the community health centre in Raghunathpur after being given first aid. (Express photo by Santosh Singh)
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Railway operations were disrupted and alternative routes were announced early Thursday. An ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh will be given to the next of kin of each deceased, and Rs 50,000 will be given to the injured, according to East Central Railway’s chief public relations officer Birendra Kumar. (Express photo by Santosh Singh)
There were 33 passengers under treatment at government hospitals in Buxar, Arrah and Patna as of Thursday. Most of them were people who work in Delhi and were on their way home. Another 38 passengers were discharged from the hospitals after getting preliminary care.
Sudip Ravidas (19) was admitted to Arrah Sadar Hospital with a fractured leg. He works as a tailor in Delhi and was on his way to his West Bengal village for Durga Puja. Lying in his hospital bed, he was unable to speak due to sedation.
Tapan Ravidas, who was travelling with him, said: ‘We had been working in Delhi for the past four years as tailors and would send money home to support our parents. We had to get down at Barsoi railway station, from where we could have gone to our village of Beniapukur in West Bengal.’ Sudip has been referred to AIIMS, Patna.
All the injured were given Rs 50,000 cash by the Railways, which also promised transfer of Rs 2 lakh to their bank accounts.
Other injured included being treated at the Arrah hospital included Lalbahadur Kshetriya from Kalimpong. The 37-year-old, who had mild head injuries, worked as a cook in Delhi, and was heading home to be with his family during Durga Puja, due to start from October 15.
Saharsa resident Dayanand Kumar (17) was getting treated for head and chest injuries, and has also been referred to AIIMS, Patna. He has been working as a school bus conductor in Delhi for two years.
A group of volunteers were standing near the injured passengers to offer them help. ‘Until their families arrive, volunteers like us will take care of them,’ said Arrah resident Mohan Kumar.
