Medical intervention could’ve saved him: Parents of Vande Bharat victim
Times of India | 6 June 2025
1234 Kolkata: The mother of 57-year-old Dhakuria resident Himadri Bhowmick, who died while travelling on the Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat Express on Wednesday, has alleged that her son was a victim of negligence on the part of the Railways."If my son got medical intervention on time, he could have been saved," said 80-year-old Protima Bhowmick at her two-storey residence at 66/2 Beni Banerjee Avenue in Dhakuria. Himadri is survived by his wife, son, and elderly parents. His elder sister and her family reside in Delhi. "Himadri's body was cremated in Bhubaneswar. His family members are there. I have lost my son who will never come back," said the grieving mother before entering her house.Himadri, who operated an academic consultancy firm, was travelling to Bhubaneswar with colleague Debarati Majumdar for work-related matters. He fell ill after the train left Cuttack station. Fellow passengers reported that he passed away by the time the train reached Bhubaneswar.Himadri's 90-year-old father Hiranmoy stated he would pursue legal action against the Railways, believing prompt medical attention could save his son's life. His parents mentioned Himadri had hypertension and took various medications, though they were unaware of other health issues.The death has left the neighbourhood in shock. According to neighbours, Himadri's mobility had reduced lately due to illness, with his wife managing household responsibilities. Subhendu Jana, a trader residing opposite Bhowmick's house, said: "I still cannot believe that Himadri is no more. I saw their house being built here in the 1980s and saw him since he was a kid. He had a close rapport with my family. We are trying to comfort his elderly parents, but no consolation works when it comes to the loss of a child."Dayananda Shau, a shopkeeper, added: "They buy all household essentials from my shop. For the last couple of months, I have not seen him. His wife would come to my shop daily."Another resident, Baidyanath Tripathi, said: "I learnt about his death this morning. I have been living in this area for around 50 years, and I remember him as a teenager. He was a well-behaved person, and he worked in a bank earlier. Nowadays, he was doing some consultancy business. He never told me about any serious illness."