For 21-year-old Odisha native Mehtab Das, part of the NDRF rescue team at the Khatauli train accident site, seeing the names 'Puri' and 'Utkal' on the mangled coaches made him feel very emotional.
But, in true spirit of the disaster relief force, as a dog handler, he took his three-year-old Labrador 'Romy' around to look out for any signs of human life beneath the metallic debris, last night.
"'Romy' had participated in the rescue operation after the Kanpur train accident and saved two lives. Together we looked for survivors for hours. The train name - Puri- Haridwar Utkal Express - especially when written in Oriya, made my heart feel sad as it my home state. But, I still discharged all my duties, as I have been trained to, without any emotional weakness," Das said.
Four dogs were pressed into service by the NDRF at the accident site, with the rescue operation lasting nearly six hours.
Das' colleague Deepak Patra, 27, says the name of the train evokes vivid images of Puri and beauty of Odisha, and the tragedy and suffering of people was evoking mixed feelings in his mind.
"I am from Odisha but once I don the NDRF uniform, I have to see things very coolly and just think of saving every life that comes our way," he told PTI.
Both Das and Patra hail from Bhadrak district of Odisha. Patra handled three-year-old 'Bunty', another Labrador at the accident site.
The two canines were joined by 'Ruby' and 'Jackie' during the search and rescue operation that stretched till 3 am today after having begun at close to 9 pm last night.
"We call them life sniffer dogs. They trace survivors by tracking their sound of breath. The training is only for tracking survivors, so they don't look for bodies," Das said.
"Dogs are first sent so that any survivor can be traced before civil work of removing debris can start," he said.
About 160 NDRF personnel consisting of four teams executed the operation, winning admiration and respect of the people.
The body of a middle-aged woman was carefully pulled out by a team from underneath an overturned mangled coach, after labouring for three hours.
"We use sophisticated equipment to reach the body with due care, ensuring no harm comes to it. Also, as in the case of that woman, we cover their faces during the operation. The NDRF lends dignity in life and in death," a senior official of the NDRF said.
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