The first train arrived at 10.22 am and at 12.54 pm the Bhadrak-Howrah Passenger arrived carrying those who wanted to return instead of proceeding on their onward journey. Forty-two passengers had minor injuries, of whom 23 were given first-aid at the station.

According to South Eastern Railway officials, a train carrying 80 passengers with their relatives and bodies of two passengers is expected to reach Howrah late on Saturday evening.

“So far four bodies have been identified. 161 passengers were injured in the accident,” said Debasish Chandra, Deputy Chief Commercial Manager, South Eastern Railway.

To many who reached the station safely, it was the most frightening incident in their life. “We heard a loud thud at 7.45 pm on Friday and within seconds the coach overturned four times,” said Nikhil Dalmiya, an engineering student from Bihar. “When I managed to come out of the window, I saw our coach S2 was over S1,” he said.

With no help from the Railways, some managed to travel to Howrah on their own. Nilava Adhikari, with his brother Arnab Adhikari, and friends Ratnadeep Sirkar and Tuhin changed buses on their way back to Howrah railway station.

“I was in the bathroom of the compartment when the window panes came crumbling down on my face. We have lost all our belongings in the accident,” said Nilava, a resident of Agartala, pursuing engineering at Chennai.