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I witnessed a young child crawling out of the Coromandel Express, only to be electrocuted before my eyes, says Pravin Das.
KOLKATA: Prabir Das, a bedroll attendant on the Yesvantpur-Howrah Express, found himself at the heart of a harrowing tale of courage and dedication during the tragic three-train collision in Balasore.
Despite being injured in the accident, Das remains undeterred and resolute in his commitment to return to work and serve his duty. “Accidents happen, but that should not be an excuse to neglect our work or stop traveling by train,” he asserted, emphasizing the importance of steadfastness in the face of adversity.
On the ill-fated night of June 2 also Das demonstrated his unwavering dedication to his work. Despite the chaos that ensued after the collision, his focus remained on saving lives.
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“After the collision, chaos ensued. As I glanced outside, I witnessed a man lying injured. I attempted to assist him and save his life, but in the process, I fell and sustained severe injuries. Fortunately, everyone in my coach survived.
Despite his own injuries, Prabir summoned the strength to assist others in their time of need.
“During that time, I was not concerned about my own pain and injuries. My focus was on saving as many lives as possible. Despite my own serious injuries, I helped injured people into ambulances. I wish I could have saved more lives.”
Prabir shares the weight of the tragedy evident in his words. Amidst the wreckage of the ill-fated Coromandel Express, he witnessed the struggles of a child trapped within a wrecked coach, ultimately succumbing to electrocution.
“I witnessed a young child crawling out of the Coromandel Express, only to be electrocuted before my eyes. Many passengers on the Coromandel also lost their lives due to electrocution.”
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The scene that unfolded before Prabir was one of chaos and desperation. In the pitch darkness, cries for help pierced through the night as survivors sought salvation from the wreckage. Disoriented and unsure of how to navigate the devastation, Prabir stumbled upon passengers lying on the tracks, their parched throats pleading for a mere sip of water.
Despite the challenges posed by darkness and insufficient lighting, Prabir’s determination to save lives remained unyielding. It was the resilience of local residents, armed with gas cutters, that brought a glimmer of hope. Yet, even amidst their efforts, the force required to free trapped individuals led to torn limbs and half-extracted bodies.
“Local residents utilized gas cutters to assist those trapped in finding space and escaping from the damaged carriages. Unfortunately, due to the force exerted, only half of their bodies could be extracted, resulting in their limbs being torn apart.”
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Undeterred by the tragedy, Prabir’s unwavering resolve shines through. “Accidents do happen, but that should not be an excuse to neglect work or stop traveling by train,” he asserts. His refusal to succumb to fear showcases the indomitable human spirit and the unwavering dedication of those who serve selflessly.
As he carries the burden of his own emotional turmoil, Prabir holds onto the lessons learned from this tragedy, praying that such incidents never occur again.
According to Odisha’s chief secretary, Pradeep Kumar Jena, the revised death toll was determined through a thorough process involving the verification of bodies, the unfortunate demise of severely injured patients, and updates received from district collectors. The final death toll stands at 288.
On Friday, a few minutes before 7 pm, a devastating incident occurred at Bahanaga Bazar station when the Coromandel Express collided with a stationary goods train loaded with iron ore.
The impact caused some of the coaches to derail and collide with the Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express. This tragic event stands as India’s most severe railway disaster in the past thirty years, resulting in 1,100 individuals sustaining injuries.
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