Three from Udupi among victims of Bangalore-Nanded train tragedy
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (EP)
Udupi, Dec 30: Three people of Udupi origin were among the 26 who died in the Bangalore-Nanded train tragedy that occured in the early hours of December 28 at Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh.
The deceased are identified as Leela (60), Sudha (58) and Ramanand Rao (64) who were residing in Chennai.
File Photo
A group of eight people including the deceased was proceeding towards Mantralaya in the train from Bangalore. Two members of the group, Vivek and Umesh who were sitting away from the place of fire escaped unhurt. Three others, Natesh, Vijitha and Dhanushree are undergoing treatment for burns at a hospital at Bangalore.
The deceased Leela had retired recently from service in the department of health of the Tamil Nadu government. Her daughter Sumana Rao, a resident of Padubidri and her family left for Bangalore soon after the news of the accident came in.
It is said that the doors of the AC bogie of the train got jammed when the train stopped suddenly. There were no fire extinguishers in it. Most of the 26 people died due to suffocation and their luggage is also said to have got burnt in the accident.
The relatives of the deceased said that they got no help from the government or railway department in this regard. The injured are getting treated with the help of their relatives. Union minister Mallikarjuna Kharge however is said to have visited the injured at the hospital. He also announced ex-gratia of Rs 5 lac to the kin of the deceased.
DNA tests will be inevitable to identify the victims, it is said. The railway police have said that the bodies will be handed over only if they are to be buried. In cases where burials are not possible, the bodies will be handed over only after the DNA tests that will be held by the doctors arriving from Hyderabad either on Monday or Tuesday.
A treasurer of the Red Cross and the secretary of state unit of Bharath Sevadal, Subhas Reddy Patil (44), also died in the fire. He was also the director of state cooperative societies and the secretary of Tagore educational institutes. He was in B1 coach of the train. He has left behind his parents, wife, two sons and a daughter.