Johnson Chettri and Kisan Chettri experienced a miraculous escape from a tragic accident involving the Kanchanjunga Express in Darjeeling district. The incident occurred on Monday morning when a speeding goods train collided with the express, claiming the lives of around 9 individuals while two passengers went missing.
Kisan, a resident of Shillong, was en route to Sealdah in search of employment when the catastrophe unfolded. The locals acted swiftly as first responders, initiating rescue operations and transporting the injured to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital for urgent treatment.
Recalling the harrowing ordeal, Kisan shared, “It was around 8.30 am when I heard a big bang and felt a sudden huge jerk. I was playing games on my mobile. Immediately, our coach started tumbling as commotion filled the air inside the coach.” He added, “Luckily, I did not suffer any injury but lost my bags and other belongings. There were almost 20 passengers in our coach. Though others are safe, two fellow passengers have gone missing. We looked around but could not find them.”
Johnson, also from Meghalaya, described the incident as a nightmare, stating, “I lost sense for a couple of minutes. It was only after my fellow passengers started dragging me that I gained consciousness and realised what had happened.” He further mentioned, “I was speaking over the phone when I was jolted… I did not know what happened after that. I immediately called my parents and told them that I am safe.”
Abinash Mukherjee from Barasat shared his account of the chaos, recalling the moment when the train suffered a massive impact. “Our train was running at a slow speed and suddenly I heard a big sound. Everything went upside down and we were left helpless for almost 15 minutes before locals came to our rescue. I saw two people dying.”
Narayan Ghosh from Assam, who was in the fifth coach from the rear end of the train, described the scene as chaotic but noted the passengers’ collective effort in remaining calm until help arrived.
Mohammed Raju, a local who witnessed the collision, narrated, “I saw the speeding goods train hitting the passenger train from behind. The passenger train was running at slow speed, but the goods train was running at a high speed.” He mentioned the tragic loss of lives among the train staff and the challenging rescue efforts.
The incident resulted in seven fatalities, including the goods train driver, and left 14 individuals injured, with three in critical condition. Raju himself sustained minor injuries while assisting in the rescue operations.