JALPAIGURI: A major
train accident was averted near Jalpaiguri’s Nandanpur Kerarpara Halt station on Tuesday owing to the quick response of a villager.
Anupam Barui (54), a resident of Nandanpur Kerarpara village, some 17km from Jalpaiguri, was going fishing around 7.30am. Near railway pillar 20/9, the fisherman noticed a stretch of the track did not have
pandrol clips, which fix the track to the sleepers. On counting, he found that 27 such clips were missing.
The Haldibari-NJP Passenger
train was shortly due on the line, followed by the Haldibari-Kolkata Superfast Express. Barui left his fishing rod, net and other things and ran to his house. He tore a piece of red cloth and ran back to the spot, just in time to see the Haldibari-NJP Passenger hurtling down the tracks.
“I knew I did not have a second to waste. The train did not have a stop there. I shouted like a madman and started running towards the train waving the red cloth. After running about 200m, I managed to draw the driver’s attention. He pulled the brake,” Barui said.
The train was stranded for more than an hour before a team of railway staffers came from Jalpaiguri to repair the track.
“When the train stopped near Nandanpur Kerarpara Halt station, I understood something was wrong... It was a close shave for us,” said Harisadhan Das, a vegetable vendor who takes the passenger train to
Siliguri every day.
“The RPF informed me about the incident. I am clueless as to who stole the pandrol clips,” said Arun Sarkar, a local panchayat member. Haldibari station manager Satyajit Tiwari confirmed that the pandrol clips were missing and that Barui helped stop the train. RPF inspector J Musahari said they had initiated a probe and were looking into the incident from all angles.
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Anupam Barui
