Alert man, daughter avert train disaster

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, June 22

It was a close shave for around 800 passengers on board the Agartala-Dharmanagar passenger train (55679) on June 15 when the loco driver and his assistant halted it just short of a landslide-hit stretch between Tripura’s Mungiakami and Ambassa railway stations after being alerted by a father-daughter duo.

Public relations officer in the Northeast Frontier Railway headquarter here Jayanta Kumar Sarma said train driver Narayan Debnath and his assistant Sonu Kumar noticed a man and a girl wave white clothes signalling the train to stop around 4.30 pm. Sensing trouble, the engine drivers brought the train to a halt, avoiding a major accident. The incident happened 60 km from the Agartala station.

In fact, the train was being brought back to Agartala after the damage already caused to the tracks by landslips at three spots between Mungiakami and Ambassa stations prevented it from heading to its destination — Dharmanagar.

The Tripura Assembly praised Swapan Debbarman (45) and his teenage daughter Somati, who belong to Ambassa in Dhalai district, for showing exemplary presence of mind and saving hundreds of lives.

The railway authorities are also considering recommending the names of the two staffers for award for their alertness that averted an imminent accident.

Tripura Health and Science and Technology Minister Sudip Roy Barman has requested Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and the Assembly to recommend the names of Debbarman and his daughter to the Centre and the Railways Ministry for help and reward.