Agartala, January 06, 2022: Tripura Chief Minister Prof Dr Manik Saha’s office expressed its heartfelt gratitude to the Ministry of Railways (MoR) and union Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s private secretary Narayan Jhintra for their prompt action in providing all kinds of help to a vulnerable family stranded in Rajahmundry Railway Station of Andhra Pradesh since January 04.
On behalf of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) of Tripura, it is an immense pleasure to acknowledge the guidance and support to the helpless family from the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Ved Prakash and Senior DCM Ram Babu at Vijaywada Railway Station and RPF Head Constable Rishi Deb at Rajahmundry Railway Station in Hyderabad.
Sharing the tale of a helpless family members in Hyderabad, Tripura Chief Minister Dr Saha’s OSD Paramananda Sarkar Banerjee and Assistant Director to CM’s Secretariat Debasish Lodh said “A lower middle class family of four persons from Noagaon, Krishnanagar in Agartala went to the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh for treatment of Sanjib Debnath (47) on December 28, 2022. After treatment for a few days, doctors asked the patient party to return home. Hence, on January 04, they boarded a train from Vijayawada Railway Station in Hyderabad to reach Agartala Railway Station. Just after crossing Vijayawada Railway Station, the patient expired at 4 PM. The deceased person is the lone male member who accompanied his family members, including wife Soma Mallik Debnath, son Diptanil Debnath and Sanjib’s sister-in-law Jhuma Mallik for treatment in Hyderabad. The family members were in a shocked state. Somehow, the family members contacted the office of the Chief Minister of Tripura. Wasting no time, CMO tweeted the entire matter to the union minister Ashwini Vaishnav of the Ministry of Railways and “Rail Madad”. Within five minutes, we received a response that the complaint has been received and the matter shall be looked after. We have mentioned a contact number of the patient party in the tweet. The Railway Division in Hyderabad gave a message to the family members to get off the train at Rajamundry Railway Station.”
In the meantime, Tripura CM’s OSD Paramananda Sarkar Banerjee has contacted with the Private Secretary of the union Railway minister Narayan Jhintra and messaged “This side is OSD to CM of Tripura, we have a patient who was returning to Agartala by train number 18046, S1 and PNR 4861916847 today, he died on way. His family members accompanying him have been asked to get down at Rajahmundry railway station for post-mortem etc. The family informed us that the doctor had arrived at the station, examined the patient and declared dead. But the family helplessly struck there and doesn’t have enough financial strength to bear expenditure to bring the deadbody back to Agartala. Kindly help the family using your good office.”
PS N Jhintra replied “OK. I have asked Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s OSD, Ved Prakash ji to immediately provide him assistance and give the phone number.”
Accordingly, Tripura CM’s OSD contacted Ved Prakash ji and he contacted Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM) of Vijayawada Railway Station Ram Babu on another line. The DCM informed the Andhra Pradesh CM’s OSD that the message of such a helpless family has been received. The DCM also assured Andhra Pradesh CM’s OSD of providing every assistance to the family and making arrangements of the post mortem. Paramananda Sarkar Banerjee also requested the OSD of Andhra Pradesh CM to make accommodation facilities for the family. Ved Prakash informed us that they will take care of the family members. Dead body shifted to a nearby hospital’s morgue and accommodated the family in a nearby hotel.
Meanwhile, the patient party enquired of travelling by road with deadbody which will take 2-3 days and air-conditioned ambulance will charge fare of Rs 2.5 lakhs. Failing to bear flight fare and suffering from financial constraints, the family decided to perform the last rites in Hyderabad.
“When we’re communicating with the Railway ministry and Andhra Pradesh CM’s OSD, the Director of IT department Naresh Babu was present and he attempted to help the family members by contacting his batch mates in Andhra Pradesh. However, he managed to send Rs 13,000 to the family’s bank account and railway officials from Vijayawada station handed over Rs 5000 cash to the family for performing last rites. Accordingly, everything was performed in presence of Hindu priests and ashes were disposed of in Godavari river”, he added.
“Thereafter, they were again accommodated in a hotel and informed them to get in train around 4 AM in the wee hours of January 06 i.e. Friday. We have been constantly communicating with Andhra Pradesh officials. We are worried as there is a language communication gap, secondly, two female persons, etc. At night, I received three tickets, but all are on the waiting list. Later, we were again informed that they cannot board the train. Today, at 11.30 AM, they boarded a train from Rajahmundry railway station and food packets were given to them. RPF head constable Rishi Deb is continuously in touch with the family members.
Tripura CM’s OSD has initiated the entire needful under the guidance of Chief Minister Dr Saha. Banerjee also said that the family will get down at Howrah Railway station and accommodation has also been arranged at Tripura Bhavan in Kolkata and on the following day, they will leave for Agartala Railway Station.
The Chief Minister’s Office in Tripura gave a message to tweet tagging Railway ministry if any person faces such kind of difficulties.
