A deafening sound and screams before it turned dark: Survivors recall dreadful train collision
Bilaspur (PTI): Moments before the collision, Sanjeev Vishwakarma (35), a passenger of Gevra Road-Bilaspur train, was scrolling through his phone, while some passengers were busy chatting, and some were dozing off, unaware that within seconds, their journey would turn into a nightmare.
Around 4 pm, the MEMU (mainline electric multiple unit) passenger train rammed into a goods train from behind near Bilaspur station, leaving its first coach (engine assembled coach) climbing onto the cargo wagon with a thunderous jolt.
Metal screeched, windows shattered and panic swept through the compartments.
At least eight persons, including the loco pilot, were killed and 14 others, including the female assistant loco pilot, injured in the accident between Gatora and Bilaspur railway stations on Howrah-Mumbai rail route section.
For Vishwakarma, a resident of Bilha (Bilaspur), what began as a routine return trip from his in-laws' house in Akaltara ended in chaos and screams.
He is a vehicle driver.
"I was sitting in the first coach. There were about 16-17 of passengers, including men, women, and children. Suddenly, around 500 metres after leaving Gatora, the train shook violently and crashed into something. There was a thunderous sound followed by people's screams...Then everything went dark," he recalled.
"When I opened my eyes, I was pinned under the seat. People were crying for help. My coach had climbed onto the goods train. I saw bodies right in front of me. Three people, including a woman, died. Their faces still haunt me," he said, lying on his hospital bed.
Mohan Sharma, a marketing professional from Raipur, had boarded the train from Champa (in neighbouring Janjgir-Champa district).
"I had planned to go to Raipur by Link Express train, but the train was late so I thought I would save time by taking this (MEMU) train. Although I de-boarded this train, thinking of once again taking the Link Express but again boarded the same," he said.
"I was using my mobile phone when there was a violent jerk, the next thing I knew, I was thrown to the floor. My phone flew away," he said.
"When I looked out, I saw the first coach resting on the goods train's wagon. My right leg was trapped, I couldn't move it. Railway staff pulled me out and rushed me for treatment. It all happened in seconds," he said.
Had the train slowed down even a little, those people would have been alive, he added.
Mehbish Parveen (19), a second-year BSc Mathematics student at D P Vipra College Bilaspur, was returning to Bilaspur from her home Naila in neighbouring Janjgir-Champa district after attending a family wedding.
"I was travelling in the first coach. It was supposed to be a happy journey back. Then came the crash. My leg broke. I can't forget the screams as everyone was shouting for help," she said.
Geeta Dev Nath (30), an advocate from Bilaspur, said she was in the first coach.
"The impact was so strong that my leg got trapped. I couldn't move. Rescuers pulled me out after several minutes. I had gone to Akaltara for court work. I never imagined I would return like this," she said.
All four of them are currently admitted at Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) Bilaspur.
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'Someone must be held accountable': HC converts civil suit on Goa nightclub tragedy into PIL
Panaji (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Monday converted a civil suit against Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub into a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) saying "someone has to be held accountable" for the tragedy in which 25 people were killed.In a stern observation, Goa bench of the High Court of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Ashish Chavan said the local panchayat had "failed to take suo motu cognisance" of the club and had taken "no action despite complaints."
The division bench directed the Goa government to file a detailed reply on the permissions granted to the nightclub.
The High Court, while fixing January 8 as the next date of hearing, pointed out that commercial operations were continuing in the structure despite it having been served a demolition order.
The original petition was filed after the December 6 tragedy by Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar and Sunil Divkar, the owners of the land on which the nightclub was operating.
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Advocate Rohit Bras de Sa, the lawyer representing the petitioner, was made amicus curiae in the matter and has been asked to file a detailed affidavit in the matter.
In their petition, Amonkar and Divkar highlighted "the alarming pattern of statutory violations that have remained inadequately addressed despite multiple complaints, inspections, show-cause notices, and even a demolition order".
They contended that these violations posed "immediate threats to public safety, ecological integrity, and the rule of law in the state of Goa."
Investigations by multiple agencies into the nightclub fire have revealed various irregularities, including lack of permissions to operate the nightclub.
The Goa police arrested five managers and staff members of the club, while co-owners Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra have been detained in Thailand after they fled the country.
