7 of a family, including newlywed couple perish in train tragedy

Kuneru: Seven member of a family including a newly married couple and a two year old girl perished in the Hirakhand Express accident here on
Saturday night. The family hailing from Samastipur of Bihar trade in honey to eke out a decent living.

Reports from Rayagada said head of the family Madan Dhami was looking dazed at the hospital as he was still in a state of shock, could be the
biggest in his life. The world crashed on him as all the family members including his two year old daughter Chanda died in the accident.

He told the Odisha police that he lost seven members of the family but the hospital staff refused to believe him.

A senior police officer told the local reporters that Dhami was even unable to recall his village name in Bihar and the names of his family
members due to the shock. The police, however, identified the bodies after his brother Rajesh Dhami and his wife, who had a narrow escape in
this mishap, came to the hospital and gave a list of names.

The officer said that the bodies of the Madan Dhami’s wife Ranjan, daughter Chanda were completely mutilated as they were crushed under the
coaches.

The tragedy is endless. Rajesh told his another brother Biswanath Dhami and Kuni who were married days ago also died in the incident. His
sisters Tilak Kumari, Pulo and brother Sahi Dhami were too found dead. All were travelling in the general coach that was completely damaged in
the accident.

The family boarded the ill-fated train at Rayagada and were to get down at Vizianagram and move to Gunupur to dispose off the collected
honey.

``Now it is end of our business pursuit in Odisha. We will return home and vow never to come back,’’ Rajesh told the reporters with a heavy
heart.

Rajesh said he sought help from the Odisha government to cremate the bodies as he had no funds to do it.

KMP Patnaik