One of the survivors of the tragedy in which 16 migrant workers were crushed to death by a goods train in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra on Friday, said that he was left behind because he had blisters on his sole, and could not keep up.
While talking to the Firstpost 27-year-old Virendra Singh Gond, one of the migrant workers who managed to escape the accident, said "I was left behind because I had blisters on my sole, and could not keep pace with the rest. I told the others to go ahead.”
The migrant labourers who worked at a private steel company in Jalna district, 60 kilometers from Aurangabad were on their way home in Madhya Pradesh. Virendra told Firstpost that the company had not paid their wages since the lockdown. He said "how long could we wait around? We had to see our families back home. They were worried about us.”
Virendra told Firstpost that they started walking at 7 pm and walked whole night. He said that he was awake as he had blisters on his sole and heard the train's horn. “I ran towards them, but it was too late. The train had run them over," Virendra told Firstpost.
Another survivor, Shivmaan Singh told news agency PTI that he cannot come to terms with what happened after he saw his companions dying in front of him. Shivmaan Singh, who is now travelling back to his native place in Madhya Pradesh in a train along with the bodies of his 16 companions, said that he has not been to sleep after the accident as the disturbing images of the tragedy kept coming to his mind.
"After the tragedy stuck on Friday morning, so many things happened. Although I was exhausted and tired, I could hardly sleep at night as the gory images of the accident kept coming to my mind. I am not able to forget the tragedy that unfolded before me," Singh told PTI.
"After the news of the train accident broke, my family members tried calling me repeatedly. But my phone was off as its battery was discharged," he said. "After the accident, we were busy in helping the officials in identifying the victims and replying to their queries," Singh added.
Sixteen migrant workers sleeping on rail tracks while returning to Madhya Pradesh were crushed to death by a goods train in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra on Friday.
The Railways announced a comprehensive probe into the accident which took place at 5.15 am near Karmad, around 30 km from Aurangabad. Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh governments announced financial aid of Rs 10 lakh - Rs 5 lakh each - to families of the deceased.
