Tamil Nadu express accident only exposes the fundamentals neglected by the concerned which has taken toll on the snoring passengers and resulting in more than 30 deaths. On the ill fated day as per reports the short circuit near the toilets of the S 11 coach had resulted in huge flames that engulfed the train. Subsequently the chaos for survival had crushed many too. There are many mysteries that need to be unraveled by the investigations teams. The forensic team that arrived to inspect the fire consumed coach can only give an insight to the actual reasons of the accident.
1. If it was short circuit then how were some lights were on. Generally the whole fuse blows out when there is a short circuit. As per a survivor, 'But I remember seeing the lights on after the fire broke out.'
2. Sabotage was another angle to the accident. Based on the gateman's version who had also spotted the fire in the train, an explosion was heard. If so why was there no TTE to check unauthorized occupancy in the compartment. And why security personnel not present in the compartments.
3. Presence of some youth who were behaving in a weird fashion. Why had not the passengers raised their voice against such people when doubted.
4. What happened to the fire safety equipment not used in the train. Was it there or not.
5. Another recall by survivors said that a irritable pungent smell was in the air minutes before the flames engulfed the coach.
6. Lastly most of the dead were in various postures that also leads to the doubts that they were unconscious as fire devoured their bodies.
7. Also as per the survivors account the fire spread at rapid pace, may be with in 5-7 minutes. As it is evident of the deaths of the various berth occupants.
8. Occupants of the berths near the two ends toilets have survived and many in the middle died. The erratic survivals and deaths only increase the theory of sabotage.
9. Passengers of berth nos 48-58 were all choked to death while passengers of berth nos 8, 17, 29, 34, 38, 42, 45 and 46 had perished in the fire.
However gullible passengers were caught unawares and died like caged sitting ducks. May be this time it was a different story but this is not new. This year which is in the midway has witnessed as many as eleven train accidents. But the following are the most dangerous and purely due to the lapses of the department.
1. January 11, 2012 - Five persons were killed and nine others, including a child, injured in a collision between the Delhi-bound Brahmaputra Mail and a stationary goods train.
2. May 22, 2012 - The Hubli-Bangalore, Hampi Express collided with a goods train near Penukonda in Andhra Pradesh early on Tuesday morning on its way from Hubli to Bangalore. 14 people were dead and 35 were injured in the collision. The accident happened at around 3:45 am on Tuesday.
3. 31 may 2012 - Howrah-Dehradun-Doon Express,derailed near Jaunpur(U.P.).At least 7 people killed and 15 sevearly injured.
4. 19 July 2012 - One person was killed, four were injured seriously, and nine sustained minor injuries in a collision between a local train and Vidarbha Express near Khardi station near Nashik on Mumbai-Kasara route.
5. 30 July 2012 - One of the coaches of the Chennai-bound Tamil Nadu Express (New Delhi - Chennai) caught fire early on 30th July morning, near Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. 47 people have died and 25 others have been injured.
Such a huge mishap on a train that connects to the nation's capital, is really very rude on the railways safety options for the passengers. And that too in this modern era only means that we are very far behind in technology innovation and implementation. 'Are the country's most traveled option of the common man turning into death cubicles. Is there someone who would address the issue.' This seems to be a rhetoric question by the common man. (With inputs from internet-AW AarKay)
