Thirteen students from Mangalore, who were returning home in train No. 12618 Nizamuddin-Ernakulam Mangala Express that derailed in Maharashtra on Friday morning, are reported safe. The accident took place at 6.30 a.m. between Goti and Igathpuri stations in Central Railway with three AC coaches and eight Non-AC coaches derailing.
The 13 students from the School of Social Work, Roshni Nilaya, here were part of a group selected for an activity conducted by the National Disaster Management Authority in Kedarnath, Uttarkhand.
According to Irshad Goonadka, a first year Master of Social Work student, the 13 students and a college lecturer boarded the train that left Delhi on Thursday at 9.20 a.m. All students were in one sleeper coach.
Around 6.30 a.m. on Friday, Mr. Irshad said, he heard a thud and he fell off his berth when he was chatting with his friend. Initially, "I thought the train driver had applied brakes." He later realised that the train had derailed. When Irshad and his friend went out of their coach, they “saw one bogie mangled while three other bogies were off the track,” he said.
Much after rescue work began they were told to make their own arrangements for further journey. Irshad said they got into a bus and have reached Kasara Railway Station from where they had planned to catch a train to Thane. “We will then travel to Mangalore either by train or bus,” he said.
HELPLINE NUMBERS
Meanwhile, Palakkad division of Southern Railways announced that people in need of information may call the following helplines:
Central Control and Palakkad Station: 0491 2556198; Mangalore Junction: 0824 2437824; Mangalore Central: 0824 2423137; Kannur: 0497 2705555; Kozhikode: 0495 2701234; and Shoranur: 0466 2222913.
