Odisha train accident | Karnataka survivors recount horror; ‘Saw limbless bodies, people screaming for help’

Following the horrific train accident in Odisha leaving more than 260 dead, survivors from Karnataka recounted their horror

“Never expected I would see this kind of horrific accident in my life. Dead bodies all around, many limbless, people screaming for help stuck inside the coaches. I saw people with dismembered limbs and disfigured faces. This incident will haunt me for my whole life,” Samanth Jain(40), a native of Chikmagaluru district in Karnataka who survived the train crash in Odisha on June 2 told The Hindu.

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He along with 110 people from Karnataka were on ‘Shikharji Yatra,’ a pilgrimage to the holiest Jain teerth. Recalling the incident, he said, “Around 8.30 p.m., the train suddenly stopped when we were all busy doing the pooja part of the yatra. Everyone was confused. Just a few minutes before stopping, we heard a loud noise which was similar to a vehicle accident. We all started to get down and walked at least three kilometres towards the back of the train and then we saw a horrific accident where three or four coaches were on top of each other and twisted steel, with passengers’ belongings strewn all over.”

“Since it was pitch dark, using the mobile flashlight, we went near the coaches where people were screaming and I saw limbs scattered all around…many people’s faces were disfigured and dead bodies all over,” Mr. Jain added.

Another Karnataka native passenger, Praveen Jain said, “The train suddenly jerked after applying a heavy break. Almost for 30 minutes, we didn’t know anything. Later people started to talk about the accident. All were confused and were in fear. Then we went back to the train and there were many local villagers helping with the rescue and they were pulling out dead bodies from the derailed coaches with the help of ladders.”

All 110 people were travelling from Bengaluru as part of the yatra in the Yashwantpur-Howrah Express. According to survivors of the train mishap, the remaining coaches which were not affected by the accident were taken to another station with the help of diesel engines.

“Now, we are heading to Kolkata, we are not out of shock and ladies and children with us are in fear since we saw a horrific accident,” Mr. Praveen said while adding that they boarded the train from Bengaluru on June 1 and all of the 110 people from Karnataka, most of them are natives of Kalasa and Horanadu in Chikkamagalur district, are said to be safe.