Miracle: Indian man rescued from under rubble 48 hours after horrific Odisha triple-train tragedy

A man hailing from the northeastern state of Assam was rescued from under the debris, 48 hours after the deadly triple train accident in India's Odisha.

Despite being trapped without food or water for two days, 35-year-old Dulal Mazumdar from Guwahati managed to survive. He, however, suffered severe injuries during the collision and was thrown into thick bushes next to an upturned coach of the Coromandel Express.

For two days, the rescue workers had rummaged around the wreckage of the three trains to find survivors. However,Mazumdar, seemingly stuck in an improbable spot was missed by all. It was only when the rescue operation was winding down and the focus turned to restoring services on the track that a small group of police personnel heard a feeble voice at around 5:30 pm on Sunday.

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“We were surprised how a man could be alive after 48 hours of a train accident such as this. We called for help and aided by some social workers, took him to the community centre at Soro. He was administered first aid there, and rushed to the Balasore district headquarters hospital,” a policeman who did not wish to be identified was quoted as saying by HT.

After being pulled out,Mazumdar was quickly dispatched to the nearest hospital in Soro. Due to the seriousness of his head injuries, doctors at the local hospital transferred him to Balasore Hospital for specialised care.Mazumdar was travelling alongside five other people from the state. However, it is unclear if they had survived.

“He was in the general compartment of Coromandel Express when the accident happened. He was probably flung off and landed in the bush. It is a miracle that he has survived for two days,” added Dr Subhajit Giri of Balasore district headquarters hospital.

What happened in Odisha?

A collision between two passenger trains and a goods train in the eastern Indian state of Odisha's Balasore over the weekend resulted in the tragic deaths of at least 275 individuals, with approximately 900 others sustaining injuries.

The Howrah Superfast Express derailed and became entangled with the Coromandel Express, South Eastern Railway authorities said. A goods train too was part of the massive collision, making it one of the deadliest train accidents India has ever witnessed.

WATCH | Odisha Train Tragedy | Railway Minister: Root cause of the incident identified

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According to media reports citing sources, the Indian Railways is investigating the possibility of a signalling error as the prima facie cause of the train derailment.

PM Modi visited the accident site and vowed to find the guilty parties and take stringent punishment against them.

"It's a painful incident. Govt will leave no stone unturned for the treatment of those injured. It's a serious incident, instructions issued for probe from every angle. Those found guilty will be punished stringently. Railway is working towards track restoration. I met the injured victims," said PM Modi.

(With inputs from agencies)

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