With biscuits, water and medicines, locals rush to help accident victims | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: It was a lazy Sunday morning and the crowd was generally thin at Manguli-Choudwar passenger halt. A loud sound shook those at the station and nearby areas. As memories of the Bahanaga triple train tragedy flashed through the mind, locals rushed to rescue victims and stranded passengers of the derailed Bengaluru-Kamakhya Superfast Express.
“Luckily, the coaches did not overturn. They had veered off the track. Had they capsized, the casualty could have been more,” said Smitarani Swain, one of the first to reach the accident site, some 100 metres before the passenger halt. The accident site is about 8 km from Cuttack railway station. The train was not supposed to halt at Manguli-Choudwar.
By the time the locals reached the site, the passengers had already alighted from the train. “We provided them with assistance,” said Swain, who volunteers with a local NGO.
“When I heard about the derailment, me and my friends rushed to the accident site with drinking water, ORS sachets and towels to provide relief to the stranded passengers from the heatwave,” Swain added.
Baikuntha Sahoo, who owns a shop in Manguli area, carried biscuits, water, bananas and soft drinks to help those in need.
Community members, including local shopkeepers, charitable organisations and social workers were the first at the spot, extending help by providing essential supplies like water and food to the affected passengers. They also took care to arrange milk and medicines for children and elderly travellers.
“The locals made makeshift shelters to protect passengers from the intense heat. They distributed cold water, tender coconuts and dry fruits to those in need. They assisted govt agencies in the rescue and restoration measures,” director general (fire and emergency services) Sudhanshu Sarangi said.
“The spontaneous emergence of human values and compassion just after the derailment re-established our trust in the conscience of our society,” another govt official said.
The local response was reminiscent of similar community support during the Bahanaga train tragedy. A senior disaster management official said, “The Bahanaga incident reminded us that disasters can strike anywhere, anytime. We need to enhance the capacities of our response teams and community volunteers to respond to such disasters in a better manner. Prompt response by several bravehearts, response teams and govt institutions saved many lives in Bahanaga. Today, the people of our state once again rose to the occasion in Cuttack.”
“Luckily, the coaches did not overturn. They had veered off the track. Had they capsized, the casualty could have been more,” said Smitarani Swain, one of the first to reach the accident site, some 100 metres before the passenger halt. The accident site is about 8 km from Cuttack railway station. The train was not supposed to halt at Manguli-Choudwar.
By the time the locals reached the site, the passengers had already alighted from the train. “We provided them with assistance,” said Swain, who volunteers with a local NGO.
“When I heard about the derailment, me and my friends rushed to the accident site with drinking water, ORS sachets and towels to provide relief to the stranded passengers from the heatwave,” Swain added.
Baikuntha Sahoo, who owns a shop in Manguli area, carried biscuits, water, bananas and soft drinks to help those in need.
Community members, including local shopkeepers, charitable organisations and social workers were the first at the spot, extending help by providing essential supplies like water and food to the affected passengers. They also took care to arrange milk and medicines for children and elderly travellers.
“The locals made makeshift shelters to protect passengers from the intense heat. They distributed cold water, tender coconuts and dry fruits to those in need. They assisted govt agencies in the rescue and restoration measures,” director general (fire and emergency services) Sudhanshu Sarangi said.
“The spontaneous emergence of human values and compassion just after the derailment re-established our trust in the conscience of our society,” another govt official said.
The local response was reminiscent of similar community support during the Bahanaga train tragedy. A senior disaster management official said, “The Bahanaga incident reminded us that disasters can strike anywhere, anytime. We need to enhance the capacities of our response teams and community volunteers to respond to such disasters in a better manner. Prompt response by several bravehearts, response teams and govt institutions saved many lives in Bahanaga. Today, the people of our state once again rose to the occasion in Cuttack.”
