Hirakhand Express mishap trauma continues to haunt many

Fate played a cruel joke with three friends, who were in Bissamcuttack, to attend the marriage of another friend.

Mangled Hirakhand Express after derailment at Kuneru railway station in Vizianagzram district on Sunday in which 39 were killed. | (RVK Rao | EPS)

RAYAGADA: Fate played a cruel joke with three friends, who were in Bissamcuttack, to attend the marriage of another friend. Kartika Sahu of Bissamcuttack, S Trinath of Anthamoda village of Rayagada and Rudra Narayan Mansingh of Khurda were travelling in S 9 coach of Hirakhand Express to attend the marriage of Padmana Nayak, an orderly in Rayagada CJM court. Padmana was earlier posted in Bissamcuttack court and the four enjoyed a close friendship.

The joyful trip was their last journey as the train accident at Kuneru in Andhra Pradesh claimed the lives of all the three friends.

Similarly, one Bishnu Prasad Sahu, an Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) of Bissamcuttack court, had left for Berhampur to bring his son and daughter, who are pursuing their studies, but he could never meet them. Bishnu died in the accident.

However, there were a lucky few like Ramakanta Panda and his family belonging to Rayagada. Panda, a retired driver of DHH Rayagada, was travelling in S6 coach with his son Tapan, daughter-in-law Sasmita and grandson Sambit to go to Berhampur to attend a relative’s engagement. Though their bogie tilted on one side, they managed to crawl out and reach home safely.

Toll touches 41

THE death toll in Hirakhand Express accident went up to 41 on Tuesday after the relatives of S Trinath of Antamoda village found his body in S8 coach and identified it from the driving licence in his pocket.

On Monday, his father S Rama Rao had identified a mutilated body to be that of his son. He took away the body after a tiff with the police and hospital administration. They had also performed the last rites of the body late on Monday. But some of his relatives refused to accept that the mutilated body was that of Trinath and continued their search. They found another body in S8 coach on Tuesday and took possession of it after following due procedure.

Meanwhile, police have declared the mutilated body as unidentified. Police had collected blood samples for a DNA test before handing it over to Trinath’s father.

Meanwhile, NIA team has collected various fractured rail materials from the spot. CID of Andhra Pradesh, led by its SP Anny Reddy, including forensic team from NIA in Hyderabad, also made an on-the-spot investigation for the second day.