The accident that shocked West Bengal on Monday was not anticipated by anyone, be it the passengers of the Kanchenjunga Express or the residents of the nearby area. The train mishap killed 8 people and left several injured after a goods train rammed into a passenger train. Kanchanjungha Express runs between Silchar in Assam to Sealdah in Kolkata and the accident took place in the Phansidewa area of Darjeeling district on Monday.As per sources, the residents of Nirmal Jote village were the first ones to reach the incident spot to aid the victim. According to one of the eyewitnesses, everyone was busy in began their day by offering namaz because the day fell on Eid-Al-Adha. The Kanchenjunga Express, which was headed for Sealdah, collided with a goods train, and soon after, word of the incident spread. More than 150 Nirmal Jote locals came to assist with the rescue efforts. The villagers quickly offered assistance in rescuing the passengers and tending to the injured, setting aside their celebrations. Many of them drove themselves to neighboring hospitals because ambulances were no longer available. There have even been cases of people resting in the houses of locals.The eyewitnesses also informed that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) reached the site at least an hour after the incident took place. The villagers rescued over 35 people, but six were already dead, by the time they tried to rescue them.Meanwhile, Kanchenjunga Express which was hit by a goods train has reached its destination after the restoration work. The officials have arranged for the doctors, food and emergency beds at the station to check on passengers.
