A local passenger train collided with a goods train near Bilaspur station in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, causing 11 deaths and 20 others sustaining injuries in a crash described so severe that a coach of one train ended up on top of a wagon of another
The accident took place around 4 pm, with the MEMU (mainline electric multiple unit) passenger train ramming into a goods train from behind while heading to Bilaspur from Gevra in neighbouring Korba district.
On impact, a coach of the passenger train ended up on top of a wagon of the cargo train, a railway official aware of the matter told HT. Among the deceased was the loco pilot of the train, while the female assistant loco pilot sustained injuries in the accident.
Survivor recounts horror before and after collision
Sanjeev Vishwakarma (35), a passenger who was in the of Gevra Road-Bilaspur train, told PTI news agency that moments before the collision, he was scrolling through his phone, while some passengers were busy chatting and others were sleeping.
However, within seconds, metal screeched, windows shattered and panic swept through the train’s compartments.
“Suddenly, around 500 metres after leaving Gatora, the train shook violently and crashed into something. There was a thunderous sound followed by people’s screams…Then everything went dark,” Vishwakarma, a resident of Bilha (Bilaspur), said while lying on the hospital bed.
Vishwakarma, who was returning from his in-laws’ house in Akaltara, said he was sitting in the first coach, adding that there were “about 16-17 of passengers, including men, women, and children” in the compartment.
Vishwakarma said that when he opened his eyes following the collision, he was “pinned under the seat”. adding that his coach had climbed on top of the goods train.
“People were crying for help…I saw bodies right in front of me. Three people, including a woman, died. Their faces still haunt me,” Vishwakarma told PTI.
‘Thrown to the floor…it all happened in seconds’
Another passenger who had boarded the train from Champa, said he had initially planned to travel to Raipur by Link Express train.
Mohan Sharma, a marketing professional from Raipur, told PTI that he thought he would be saving time if he took the MEMU train. “Although I de-boarded this train, thinking of once again taking the Link Express but again boarded the same,” Sharma said.
He said that he was using his phone when there was a violent jerk. “The next thing I knew, I was thrown to the floor. My phone flew away,” Sharma said. He said that when he looked out of the window, he saw the first coach on top of the goods train wagon.
“My right leg was trapped, I couldn’t move it. Railway staff pulled me out and rushed me for treatment. It all happened in seconds,” Sharma said. He added that if the train had slowed down a little, lives would have been saved.
Mehbish Parveen (19), a second-year BSc Mathematics student, was also travelling in the first coach. “It was supposed to be a happy journey back,” Parveen, who was returning from her home in Janjgir-Champa district after attending a family wedding, said. “My leg broke. I can’t forget the screams as everyone was shouting for help,” PTI quoted Parveen as saying.
