Several local Muslims from West Bengal’s Rangapani left their Bakrid celebrations midway and rushed to rescue passengers where the deadly train mishap occurred on Monday, June 17.
At least 10 passengers died and 60 others were injured after three rear coaches of the stationary Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express derailed as a goods train collided with it in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district, officials said.
Shortly after the train mishap, locals who were celebrating Bakrid (Eid al Adha) with their families received news about the accident and immediately dropped everything to rush to the site.
Despite the challenges and dangers, the locals made efforts to rescue those trapped in the wreckage. Donning their traditional festive attire, some rescuers carried injured passengers on their shoulders to the nearest health centre. They also informed the police about the incident.
“As we reached home after offering Eid namaz, we heard a thunder-like sound. We all rushed to the site and saw the train accident. We left the celebrations and started with the rescue work. We informed the police about the accident. We got ladders from our homes and brought out passengers from the derailed berths,” one of the locals involved in the rescue operations told India Today TV.
Recalling the moment while speaking to the media, a local Mohmmad said, “I was celebrating Eid with my family when I received the news from a friend who told me about the accident. I could not resist myself and I immediately left my family and rushed to the scene, along with a few friends. We didn’t think twice about it, we just knew we had to help.”
The toll could rise, as multiple agencies of the state and Centre were simultaneously working on a war footing along with locals to rescue passengers.
The locals worked through the night to rescue those trapped in the wreckage, using their resources to pull out survivors and provide them with necessities like food and water.
However, their efforts did not go unnoticed as the state chief minister Mamata Banerjee during her Siliguri visit praised them for their vital role in the rescue operation. She announced that the state government would reward them with jobs, India Today reported.
Meanwhile, the Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 2.5 lakh towards individuals who suffered grievous injuries.
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