Four-member family meets tragic end in West Bengal rail mishap

KOLKATA - Four members of a family, who boarded a long distance train for the first time, were killed in the Mumbai-bound Gyaneshwari Express train tragedy Friday.

Syed Javed Alam was taking wife Sabia Javed and their twin daughters Shirin and Shamrin to meet Sabia’s elder sister in Mumbai. Both Syed and Sabia were school teachers.

“All four have been killed in the accident. It was for the first time that they were going out of the state and boarded a long distance train. Both Shirin and Shamrin were very happy that they are going to Mumbai,” relative Reshma Khatun said.

Two elderly women train passengers, who were Javed’s relatives, survived the tragedy and broke the heart-rending news to his relations in Kolkata.

A total of 71 people have died and more than 200 have been injured in the accident in which the passenger train derailed and was then hit by a speeding goods train.