‘6 to 7 bodies were over me’
BALURGHAT/ RAIGANJ: Search for missing near and dear ones still continues even after days of the Odisha train accident that claimed 275 lives with hundreds injured. Many have had miraculous escapes and are returning home while others have been less fortunate. While two migrant labourers returned to Balurghat, a couple has returned safely to Itahar in North Dinajpur and is undergoing treatment at present.
Rajesh Mardi (18 years) and Biplab Hembrom (31 years), residents of Balurghat block's Amritakhanda Gram Panchayat were initially admitted at a local hospital in Odisha in serious condition. After being treated there for two days, they were sent to Howrah and were admitted there in a hospital. After undergoing treatment in Howrah, they were brought home on Tuesday evening under the supervision of the local administration of South Dinajpur.The duo was travelling on Yesvantpur Express Bangalore Howrah on Friday. “I heard a sudden loud noise.
Then everything became dark. By the time I regained consciousness, there was only the sound of wailing in the compartment covered with blood. Around six to seven bodies were over me. Slowly I removed the corpses and came out of the train,” said Biplab sitting on the wheelchair at the Balurghat station. From the Balurghat station, the GRP arranged for their transportation to their homes in ambulances.
A couple of Itahar of North Dinajpur district, Sandeep Mahanta (28 years) and Rupali Mahanta (28 years) who were injured in the train accident in Odisha, returned to North Dinajpur and were admitted at the Raiganj Medical College & Hospital.
The couple was the residents of Purba Naoga of Durlavpur under Itahar police station areas of North Dinajpur district. Sandip Mahanta, one of the injured said: “We had gone to Bangalore to get my wife's nursing training certificate. From Bangalore we boarded Yesvantpur Express to Howrah. Then the accident occured. We were injured. Some social welfare organisations rescued us and admitted us to Balasore hospital in Odisha. On Monday our family members visited the hospital by car and brought us to Raiganj.”