The only fatality in the Kamakhya Express accident in Cuttack, Odisha, on Sunday has been identified as Subhankar Roy, a 22-year-old resident of Alipurduar, West Bengal. His mother, Chitra Roy, who was traveling with him, miraculously escaped unhurt.
According to family sources, Subhankar had taken his mother to Bengaluru for medical treatment. The duo was returning home when the tragic accident occurred. Subhankar, a resident of ward 4 in Alipurduar Municipality, worked in a steel factory. His mother suffers from a heart condition and he had accompanied her to Bengaluru for treatment.
The news of his untimely demise has left his family and community in shock. Alipurduar MLA Suman Kanjilal and municipal chairman Prosenjit Kar visited the bereaved family to offer condolences and support.
Also read: Bengaluru-Kamakhya Express derails, 1 dead, many injured
The accident took place on Sunday morning when the Kamakhya Express derailed in Cuttack. According to East Coast Railway sources, the train was moving at a low speed when the mishap occurred. “Due to some issues on the railway tracks, one coach derailed first, triggering a chain reaction that led to the derailment of 10 more coaches. The accident resulted in one fatality and left seven others injured,” said a railway official.
The incident has brought back painful memories of the devastating Coromandel Express accident that occurred in Balasore, Odisha, on June 2, 2023. In that tragedy, 21 coaches derailed and three of them crashed into the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express on an adjacent track. The official death toll from that disaster stood at 296, with over a thousand injured.
The Kamakhya Express accident has once again raised concerns about railway safety, as authorities investigate the cause of the derailment and take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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