Kanchanjunga Express accident: Darjeeling villagers turn Eid al-Adha into day of rescue, sacrifice
Darjeeling: In a display of selfless courage and compassion, residents of Nirmal Jote village of the district turned a festive Eid al-Adha into a day of rescue and sacrifice following the tragic railway accident near Rangapani station, where the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express collided with a goods train, resulting in at least 9 fatalities and injuries to 50 passengers.
Several villagers in Nirmal Jote told The Telegraph the scenes were heart-rending. Disregarding their Eid celebrations, the villagers mobilized immediately, dividing into groups to aid the wounded, retrieve bodies, and secure belongings until authorities arrived.
Fazlur Rahman, 28, and his companions had just completed their morning prayers when a deafening noise alerted them to the nearby disaster. Rushing towards the scene, they discovered multiple derailed coaches and a chaotic scene of injured passengers.
"The scene at the accident spot was scary.... Coaches had been derailed. Some people lay unconscious, some were bleeding heavily, women and children were crying. I had never before been in such a situation," said Fazlur, who was marshalling his friends to help the injured while speaking to this newspaper.
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Fazlur added, "Several people from our village were at the spot, and we decided to split into groups and begin the rescue work."
While some groups helped the injured and pulled out the bodies, others collected the luggage and assembled them in one place. Some villagers brought water while others tried to help by providing first aid in whatever way they could.
The youths guarded the luggage until forces from Phasidewa police station and railway officials arrived about half an hour later. Many of the villagers stayed back till late in the afternoon.
Local authorities and railway officials later commended the villagers' proactive role in the rescue efforts, highlighting their invaluable contribution during a critical hour of need.
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4 held for sexually assaulting woman, girl on moving bus after social media alert in UP's Agra
Agra (UP) (PTI): Four people were arrested, after a prompt response by police following a social media alert, for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman and a girl inside a moving bus here, officials said on Tuesday.
According to an official police statement, at 12:27 am on April 27, information was received on the social media platform X about an incident of sexual assault on a bus travelling from Kanpur to Ahmedabad, which was approaching Namner crossing in Agra.
Acting under the direction of Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar, the Agra Police social media team immediately alerted the Rakabganj police station within minutes and coordinated with the victims to confirm the incident and obtain the exact location, it stated.
Police teams launched intensive checking at Namner crossing and intercepted the bus as it reached the spot. The four accused involved in the incident were apprehended on the spot, and legal action was initiated against them, the statement said.
The police said the swift response and coordination between the social media team and field units ensured timely action, bringing relief to the victims and other passengers, who expressed gratitude towards the police, it added.
