Lakhimpur Kheri (Uttar Pradesh): The tour operator, against whom an FIR was lodged in connection with the Madurai train fire, was illegally carrying stoves and cooking gas cylinders in the train for the last 22 years. The tour operator was among the nine people who died in the fire on Saturday.
For several years, Bhasin Tour and Travels Agency of Sitapur has been conducting trips for the pilgrims. Owner of the agency, Pappu alias Harish Bhasin was well-known in the districts of Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi, Shahjahanpur and Lucknow. For the last 22 years, Pappu had been successfully conducting tours for Char Dham Yatra and Vaishno Devi Yatra.
Ramesh Verma, a resident of Kashinagar locality in Lakhimpur, said he had gone on a tour conducted by Bhasin Tour and Travels Agency in the past. "There was proper arrangement for food and drink. We never had any problem. The food was cooked near the toilet. Although this was risky, people didn't complain as the tour was cheap and good," he said.
The agency has a small office in Sitapur district while Pappu's house is in Prem Nagar locality. When the Madurai administration released the list of deceased late last evening, Pappu's name featured on serial number nine.
Eyewitness Shivkumar Chauhan of Sitapur, who lost his brother-in-law and wife in the accident, said that it was morning and the bogie was closed from all sides. Arrangements were on for morning breakfast at Madurai station in Tamil Nadu when the bogie caught fire. At that time, pakodas were about to be fried for being served with tea. Suddenly, due to the gas leak fire spread very fast, Chauhan said. Most passengers were asleep and some jumped out to save their lives. Nine people died and 22 were seriously injured.
Pulkit Mahindra of Hindustan Printing Press, who booked passengers for Bhasin Tour and Travels in Lakhimpur, said tourists always gave a positive feedback after returning from trips. "So far we have booked tickets for thousands of people and this time tickets of 16 passengers were booked," he said.
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Among the pilgrims included people from Sitapur, Lakhimpur and nearby districts who were bound for Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu. "Pappu used to make arrangements at every station. Be it the station master or GRP or RPF, everyone used to get whatever they wanted. From Sitapur itself, the entire catering team boarded the train with gas cylinders and stoves. Passengers were served chole bhature, paneer, rajma chawal and aloo parathas on the train itself," said the passenger.
