When 40-year-old Lalji Sagai left his house in Bihar’s Madhubani two days ago with two of his sons, he had dreams of a better life for them and his youngest son who remained at home.
That was not to be.
Sundar, Sagai’s eldest son, died in the Coromandel Express accident in Odisha’s Balasore on Friday night. They had boarded the general coach of the train headed to Chennai, where Sagai worked and where he hoped to find employment for his sons too.
Saigai’s brother-in-law, Dilip, also died in the accident. Inder, Sagai’s second son who was also on the train, survived unscathed.
Standing beside his son’s body at the Community Health Centre (CHC) at Soro in Balasore district, Sagai told The Indian Express: “We were a group of nine people travelling to Chennai. I have been working there as a security guard and earn around Rs 17,000 per month after doing double duty. Since there are no employment opportunities in our village, I decided to take two of my sons to ensure additional income for our family. But destiny had something else planned for us which I couldn’t have guessed.”
“My son and brother-in-law died immediately in the accident. I moved the body of my son with my own hands. Whatever be the cost, I will take the body to our village,” he said.
Many survivors like Sagai, who were waiting at different hospitals in Balasore for a chance to go back home, recounted the scenes of horror from the accident.
At least 261 people died and more than 900 were injured after 10-12 coaches of the Coromandel Express derailed in Balasore on Friday night and fell on an adjacent track in the path of another train – the Yashwantpur-Howrah Express.
Tapasi Sardar (22) from Howrah was part of a group of 11 from different parts of West Bengal, who were returning home after spending around seven months as agricultural labourers in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur. They were on the Yashwantpur-Howrah Express, and Tapasi was just four hours away from her stop, and a reunion with her family, when the accident struck.
“There was chaos everywhere. People were screaming after our coach turned upside-down. I got injuries on my head and face, but I am fine. The other members of our group are also fine. I pray to God to help me to reach home as soon as possible,” said Tapasi, who was being treated at the Soro Town Hall, as the Soro CHC was overflowing with patients.
Gopal Mirdha (40) and his wife Anju Devi, from Jharkhand’s Godda district, were also in the general coach of the Yashwantpur-Howrah Express. They were returning from Bengaluru, where they had gone two months ago to work at a nursery while their teenage son stayed back home with his grandmother.
“Since my mother is not keeping well, we decided to return home to take care of her. We have not even informed her about the accident, as she will be tense,” said Gopal, who has sustained significant injuries to his leg and head. “Many people in our coach died on the spot.”
Subash Shekh (43), a native of East Bardhaman, was travelling in the S1 coach in the Coromandel Express, headed to Chennai. From there, he would have gone to Pattambi in Kerala, where he has been working in a stone factory. Having suffered severe head injuries, he is now being treated at the Soro CHC.
Keeping in mind the high patient flow, the state government has engaged young doctors and pharmacy students to ensure basic healthcare to the injured at hospitals.
