'Suddenly, all of us started getting tossed': Passengers recall Bihar train accident horror
Buxar (PTI): Coaches can be seen strewn on both sides of the track, a few of these several feet away, in Raghunathpur, a non-descript town in Buxar district of Bihar where the North East Express derailed.
Four AC coaches, all of which have jumped the rails but remained coupled, form a scary serpentine pattern with shattered window panes serving as a telltale sign.
The guard of the Assam-bound train, Vijay Kumar, recalls having fallen unconscious by the impact of the derailment.
"I was busy with my paperwork when I realised that the driver suddenly applied brakes. This was followed by a few jerks and I fainted. Later, I found myself in the adjoining fields, where villagers were sprinkling drops of water on my face," said Kumar, who has sustained minor injuries.
With the rescue of passengers complete, the focus is now on restoration.
The entire area has been cordoned off as villagers watch gigantic cranes and machinery used for cutting through metal at work. They feel that given the scale of devastation, it may be several days before the tracks are again fit for traffic.
Railways, though, insist that it will not take that long.
Mahendra Yadav, a 64 years old resident of Madhepura district who was travelling in an AC 3-tier coach, recalled amid sobs, "It was an experience I may never forget. Suddenly, all of us started getting tossed off our berths by a force that none of us could fathom."
The elderly person is full of gratitude for local residents who had rushed to the spot and pulled out most of the passengers from the toppled coaches by the time the railway and other administrative officials reached with assistance.
In an adjoining coach, Mohd Nasir and Abu Zayed, both residents of Kishanganj district, were fast asleep, perhaps enjoying pleasant dreams of a vacation at home, away from the hustle and bustle of Delhi.
As fate would have it, only one of them survived, to witness the horror which may remain a memory etched in his consciousness for some time to come.
"We had boarded the train on Wednesday morning. It was a tiring journey and after having an early dinner, we went to sleep. The train would have reached Kishanganj early next morning. Suddenly I felt a jolt and got thrown off my berth. It took a while before I could understand what had happened," said Nasir, with shock writ large on his gaunt, bespectacled face.
While Nasir thanked his stars for escaping with minor bruises in the accident, which saw virtually the entire train being thrown off the rails, his eyes turned moist as he recalled rescue personnel taking away the body of Abu Zayed, who is in his 20s, informing him that his friend was dead.
Ishalaur Rehman, a resident of Delhi, recalled how 10-15 people fell on him after a sudden jolt.
"I am lucky to have survived the accident with a minor injury in my hand. But, what I saw was unforgettable. I boarded the train at Prayagraj for New Jalpaiguri. I was sitting on my seat but suddenly, there was a deafening sound and we were thrown from our seats. Could only hear screams all around," he said.
"Locals took us to the nearby health centre. Now, I am fine," he added.
Twenty-three coaches of the train, on the way to Kamakhya in Assam from Delhi's Anand Vihar station, derailed near Raghunathpur on Wednesday night.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
