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It was then that Dastagir realized that the toxic fumes had already enveloped the entire

railway station. The Gorakhpur-Mumbai Express had just arrived on the platform. The train
had more than 1000 passengers on board.

Dastagir wanted to inform his seniors about the situation, but he had to act fast. Breaking
all protocols, he flagged off the train 20 minutes ahead of time. He also alerted the railway

staff of nearby stations asking them to suspend all train traffic to Bhopal.
That night, Dastagir’s quick decision saved the lives of thousands of people who would have

died, had they been exposed to the toxic gas for a little longer. But Dastagir’s work was not
done. The railway station was filling up with people, desperate to flee the city. Some were

gasping for breath, others were vomiting, and many women and children were weeping in
sheer helplessness. Dastagir chose to remain on duty, running from one platform to another,
helping and consoling victims. He also sent an SOS to all the nearby railway offices, asking for
immediate medical help. As a result, four ambulances with paramedics and railway doctors

arrived at the station. It was winter hence the gas was staying low to the ground, poisoning
everything in its path.

However, Dastagir remained unfazed.
One of his sons died on the night of the

tragedy and another developed a lifelong
skin infection. Dastagir himself spent
the rest of his life shuttling in and out

of hospitals as he developed a painful
growth in the throat due to prolonged
exposure to toxic fumes. After a long
battle, he passed away in 2003. His

death certificate said it was as a result
of exposure to MIC (Methyl Isocyanate)
gas.

Ghulam Dastagir’s heroic act on the

fateful night of Bhopal gas tragedy did
not make immediate headlines and went
almost totally unrecognised. It was only after his death that stories started emerging and

people came to know about his key role in saving many lives in the railway station.
Dastagir’s son always felt that his father did not receive any appreciation or recognition. But

Dastagir, a man of high principles always maintained that helping others is a selfless act and
recognition should never be sought. Dastagir might not have a memorial in his name, but

this unsung hero will be remembered forever.

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