HYDERABAD: Chandrasekhar, the loco-pilot of the MMTS train, who was stuck in the mangled and mutilated loco cabin was rescued after an eight-hour-long rescue effort by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the GHMC Disaster Response Force (DRF) and the emergency rescue service of the South Central Railway.
The loco pilot was trapped in his cabin after the MMTS he was driving hit the Hundry Express on Monday morning.
Chandrasekhar, who was rescued from the twisted tangle of metal of what remained of his cabin is under treatment at a corporate hospital and under observation.
His co-pilot is also in the same hospital under observation, and reportedly in a critical state with multiple fractures.
The co-pilot was shifted from Osmania Hospital to the corporate hospital late evening on Monday. He was rescued immediately after the accident, but Chandrasekhar was trapped inside.
The rescue operation started around noon after the loco pilot was identified alive in the crumbled metal mess.
Rescuers from the NDRF and GHMC DRF could initially only hear his voice to confirm his position. He was immediately administered oxygen and an IV drip.
What followed was hours of peeling off layers of metal, plywood and plastic, only to face the loco-cabin control console that had been smashed closed to the body of the pilot.
After three hours of peeling and cutting metal, only glimpses of his hands were visible. According to officials, he had no visible injuries on his body. However, his condition is said to be critical.
Speaking to Express, Venkata Reddy, NDRF official explained, “The rescue mission was successful because Chandrashekhar kept responding and encouraging us to carry on. We avoided using a gas cutter so as not to injure him. Instead, we used mechanised cold cutters. He was eventually extracted without any serious injuries.”