70 year old Ramesho in Premnagar ashram was all thanks to the ‘Ganga Maiya’ who saved her and her groupmates coming to Haridwar for Somvati Amavasya snan on the fateful night of Saturday when 12 coaches of Kalinga-Utkal Express got derailed near Khatauli in Muzaffarnagar. Nearly 300 passengers in the train were coming to Haridwar out of which most of them were from other states coming to take a holy dip on Monday.
Twenty four injured people are undergoing treatment in the Mela hospital here and arrangements for free food and lodging have been made by the Haridwar district administration in Premnagar Ashram and Shantikunj. Out of the 24 injured patients, three have sustained major injuries while others have minor injuries, said the Mela Hospital in charge Dr Sandeep Tandon.
Speaking to The Pioneer, Ramesho said, “In my group no one was hurt. Ganga Maiya saved us from the death trap. I will make offerings to Ganga Ma and will keep coming to the holy city to take holy dips and make my thanksgiving offerings to Ganga Ma.”
Many others were not so fortunate like Ramesho of Gwalior. They were searching for their group mates with a heavy heart, not knowing whether their friends were alive or killed in the train accident. Kabir Rathore of Gwalior was very much perturbed while talking to his family members over phone. He had received the information of well being of his father who was coming to Haridwar but could not manage to get any clue about 50 others who were travelling in a group. Kabir is working as hospital manager at a hospital of Delhi. A 50 members group had boarded Utkal Express along with his father Mahesh Rathore from Gwalior. He had come to receive them at Haridwar railway station. “As soon as I got the information of accident, I called my father and luckily he responded. But I could not gather any information about the other kith and kin who were travelling along. The station master is unable to give the exact information which is bothering me,” said Rathore.
Meanwhile the district magistrate Deepak Rawat has formed a team under Sub Divisional Magistrate Manish Kumar which is carrying out rescue operations for the displaced people. Speaking to this correspondent, the SDM Manish Kumar said, “The injured have been admitted to the Mela hospital where they are being looked after by the hospital staff. Some people had lost their belongings in the train, for which necessary things are being provided to them through some social organisations. Few pilgrims expressed their wish to go to Rishikesh, and we have made transport arrangements for the same. Free boarding and food facilities are also being provided in Premnagar ashram and Shantikunj.”
The district magistrate has made his phone number public with the announcement that anyone in distress and need can call him with the assurance that the needs would be addressed. A control room has been set up with helpline numbers 9760534054, 01334-227477, 227478/ 79/ 80 have been issued from Haridwar railway station. A team with two ambulances was sent to the accident site by the district administration on Saturday for giving help to local passengers. Meanwhile Jan Shatbadi express train could not reach its destination on Saturday and this train was cancelled on Sunday morning.
“I saw death from close” Rakesh, an eye witness to the harrowing experience when the train coaches got derailed said, “I cannot believe that I have escaped from that destructive scene which happened before my eyes on Saturday night. We were 24 people in different coaches of the train. Near Khatauli, I felt as if the locomotive driver had forced brakes to the train and it stopped making us fall on each other. I got injuries on hand and had muscle tear. I can never forget the experience of Saturday night when we were to reach Haridwar for Ganga snan.”
Another wounded pilgrim Pappu said, “I saw death from close, bodies all around me. Our village Kedarpuri is about 8 kilometres away from the district headquarters in Gwalior. We were bringing our ‘Devi Devtas’ along for the holy dip on Somvati Amavasya. It was a very narrow escape. We were in S4, S5 and S7 coaches of the train.” Other pilgrims from Banda Chaurasi Naka also had similar stories to tell.
There was also theft on the train during that critical juncture of life and death. “When I ran back to collect my belongings, mobile and bag, they were gone. Someone had taken away that too,” said another wounded pilgrim with minor injury on head. These people were to arrive at 9 pm at Haridwar railway station on Saturday but destiny landed them in Mela hospital where they are undergoing treatment with all thanks to God for saving their lives.