AMRITSAR : The Dogras with their two children left their home on Friday evening to enjoy Dussehra. That was the last time the family of four stepped out. Both the parents and their children from Krishna Nagar were among the victims who were crushed by a speeding train on the fateful night. “My sister Amisha Dogra, brother-in-law Aman Dogra, seven-year-old niece Kashish and 12-year-old nephew Nakul were crushed by the train, which rushed in at breakneck speed.
As we got the news, we rushed to the accident site which is just a few minutes from my house. My sister’s family also used to leave near our house on rent as her husband worked in a private cloth factory. The children wanted to see Dussehra celebrations and they had taken them there to watch,’’ an inconsolable Gaurav Dogra said at the cremation ground.
Many are still missing and their kin desperately searching for them. In his early thirties, Rahul frantically searched for his loved and near ones — three are dead while as many are missing. “My two uncles and one cousin is dead. While three others are missing, another three are injured and admitted to hospitals. I do not know what to do. I have been running from pillar to post since last evening and not getting any information upfront,’’ he said at the Guru Nanak Hospital.
The family members of 45-year-old Narinder Pal are inconsolable. Pal used to work as a daily labourer and had three other brothers. “Nothing is left...My father is gone. He was the bread winner for the family. I was here to meet my parents and did not expect this in my wildest dreams,” Pal’s daughter Neha, who recently got married, said.
“I am fortunate to be alive as I saw the train approaching. It was over in a few seconds. People fell right left and centre. Four bodies fell on me. I somehow got up and tried to walk but could not as it was chaos all over,” daily wager Jaswinder Kumar said.Sonu, who was with his younger brother, is scarred for life. “It was horrible, as I saw the train mowing down people. I and my brother jumped to safety. Bodies piled on us and we had to wade through the bodies.’’