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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Mustafa Bengre elected District President of SIO Dakshina Kannada for 2026 term
Mangaluru: Mustafa Bengre has been unanimously elected as the District President of the Students Islamic Organisation of India, Dakshina Kannada Unit (SIO DK), for the 2026 term. The election was conducted through an internal organisational process, led by SIO Karnataka State Secretary Sufyan Zain.
Mustafa Bengre holds a BBA degree from Mangalore University and is a resident of Kasba Bengre in Mangaluru. He is currently working as a sales executive at Vibro Aqua.
He has previously served as the District Secretary of SIO Dakshina Kannada, City Secretary of SIO Mangaluru and has been actively involved in several social service initiatives in Bengre and across the Dakshina Kannada district.
