Guwahati, July 18 -- It was the year 1956. Lal Bahadur Shastri, who later became India's Prime Minister, was then the Minister of Railways in the Jawaharlal Nehru ministry.

Two significant train accidents occurred that year, claiming many lives. Shastri, taking moral responsibility, offered to resign on both occasions. While Nehru did not accept Shastri's resignation after the Mahbubnagar train accident, he did so after the Ariyalur train accident in Tamil Nadu, which took place just three months after the one in present-day Telangana.

Accidents occur on roads, trains, and in the air. Errant bird flights leading to aircraft hits, stray cows, heavy downpours, and even inebriated driving have resulted in tragedies. Both the Mahbubnagar an...