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.
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.
