RailEnquiry

Software professional, D. Shalini, called up her family in Hyderabad on Sunday night while heading for Chennai in Tamil Nadu Express fondly recalling her recent week-long holiday spent with them.

She hoped to have many such wonderful moments in future with the family members. Her parents, D. Hanmanth Reddy and Shobha, said they too wished the same. But, the family received a jolt when Mr. Reddy received a telephone call on Monday morning that the bogey in which Shalini was travelling caught fire.

Even as the family prayed for her safety, the shell-shocking news that she was among the victims burnt to death was broken to them within an hour. The tragic news of the techie’s promising career being cut short in the train accident was equally disturbing for the friends and relatives.

Twenty-three-year-old Shalini joined Accenture in Chennai two years ago after completing engineering programme. Along with two other friends - Sindhu and Prashanti- she went from Chennai to Karimnagar to attend a friend’s engagement on Saturday.

For returning to Chennai, the three friends boarded Tamil Nadu Express on Sunday evening at Kazipet. “They were reportedly allotted berths 2, 3 and 4. Sindhu and Prashanti managed to escape,” her family members in Hyderabad said.

A week prior to Karimnagar trip, Shalini was in Hyderabad to spend a week-long holiday. “She had lots of plans about her career, family. Her twin sister, Sravanti works with Tech Mahindra in Pune,” her close relative Venkat Reddy said.

The tragic news was not conveyed to her mother till Monday evening while her father, accompanied by friends and relatives, went to Nellore. The body would be brought to city by Tuesday morning.