West Bengal: Six-Year-old girl loses fight for life, Kanchanjungha Express tragedy toll now 10

SILIGURI: A six-year-old girl from Malda, who was heading home after a 10-day vacation at her maternal uncle's place in Siliguri's Matigara, became the youngest victim of the Kanchanjungha Express tragedy on Tuesday, losing a 15-hour battle, increasing the train tragedy's death toll to 10.

Class 1 student Sneha Mandal, a resident of Samsi near Kaliaganj, was declared dead by doctors of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) at noon on Tuesday. Since she was brought to the hospital on Monday, she had been undergoing treatment in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU), on ventilation support.

Sneha's parents - Mahilal (41) and Chhabi (29) - are also in the hospital, with multiple injuries. Mahilal, a schoolteacher, is doing well, said hospital sources. Chhabi has suffered head injuries.

They have not yet been told that their daughter is no more.

Sneha's mortal remains were handed over to her maternal uncle, Paritosh Mondal."They had come to our house on the evening of June 7 for Jamai Sasthi," Mondal told TOI. "On Monday, I saw them off at NJP station, from where they took the train back home. When I last saw Sneha, she was waving goodbye to me as the train chugged out of the platform," Mondal told TOI. He said he was yet to return home, when his wife called him up to inform him of the accident, having seen the news. "I rushed back to the station and then to the hospital, where the three were admitted," he said.

Mondal said Sneha was trapped in the train's washroom. She was rescued and brought to hospital in a critical condition.

"Doctors tried to save her life and she underwent emergency surgery. Her parents are also undergoing treatment and they do not know yet that Sneha is no more. It's fallen on me to break the news to them, but I don't know how I would do that," he said, breaking down.

Doctors said six-year-old Sneha Mondal suffered internal bleeding from injuries sustained to her liver and spleen. Her leg was also fractured.

"She underwent surgery shortly after reaching the hospital, before we shifted her to PICU. Despite our best efforts, we could not save her," said Sanjay Mallik, medical superintendent, NBMCH.

(with inputs from Subhro Maitra in Malda)


Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.