BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY--I
GHULAM DASTAGIR: AN UNSUNG HERO
SARASIJ MAJUMDER
He
was the Deputy Station Superintendent of Bhopal Junction
on December 3rd 1984.
Yes,
the Night Bhopal Gas tragedy happened.
Unfortunately
for him and fortunately for so many, he stayed there to complete some pending
work.
At
midnight when he stepped on to the platform, he felt an itch in
his throat and burning sensation in his eyes. He
rushed to his Station Superintendent's office, but he
was dead already.
The
Gorakhpur - Mumbai express train with more than 1000 passengers on
board was waiting on the platform, for which the departure time was 20
minutes away.
Trusting
his instincts, he knew something was clearly wrong. He summoned his staff and
told them to clear the train for departure. Even though the staff
wasn't ready to do that without any authority, he said he would take
full responsibility for the early departure. Breaking all the rules,
he flagged off the train.
At
this time, he was not even able to walk or breathe properly. But he
ignored it.
He
then rushed to control room and suspended all the trains coming to Bhopal
Junction. He also sent an SOS to nearby stations seeking medical
help, which lead to the arrival of paramedics and Ambulance to the station.
He
ran from platform to platform consoling the affected passengers and ensuring
medical help.
He
stayed in the station, doing his duty, knowing that his family is out there in
the same city.
His
devotion to duty saved thousands of lives that day but he lost one of
his son and another developed a lifelong skin infection.
His
life was saved on that day, but he was never able to lead a normal life from
then. He died in 2003 after 19 years fighting the painful
growth in his throat due to the exposure to Methyl Isocyanate.
The
railways installed a memorial for those who sacrificed their life on that day.
But Gulam Dastagir is not even in the list.
He
and his family would've been saved, if he had not chosen to save many
others instead of saving himself. But his choice was different.
“A Hero is someone who has given his or her life to
something bigger than oneself”----Joseph Campbell
And by all means he's a HERO.
Source:- A railway Publication; Old TOI dt.04-06/12/1984
NOTE:-- 2nd
Publication is scheduled later.
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