70 people killed, over 350 injured in Odisha triple train crash


PTI | Balasore | Updated: 03-06-2023 01:03 IST | Created: 03-06-2023 01:03 IST
70 people killed, over 350 injured in Odisha triple train crash
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At least 70 people were killed and more than 350 injured in a horrific train crash in Odisha on Friday, involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train, officials said.

Eyewitnesses, however, claimed that the number of deaths in the accident, which happened near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district around 7 pm, could be near 100 as more bodies were being pulled out from under the derailed coaches.

Several coaches of the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, on the way to Howrah, derailed and fell on adjacent tracks, an official said.

''These derailed coaches collided with the 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and its coaches capsized too,'' he said.

A goods train was also involved in the accident as some of the coaches of the Coromandel Express, which was heading to Chennai, hit its wagons after getting derailed, he added.

Railway Spokesperson Amitabh Sharma told PTI Video that the Coromandel Express derailed first, and its 10-12 coaches fell on the line on which the Bengaluru-Howrah Express was travelling, forcing it to jump off the tracks.

Late in the night, Odisha Chief Secretary PK Jena said three trains were involved in the accident.

The differing versions of the accident could not be immediately reconciled.

Over 350 people have been admitted to different hospitals across the district, officials said, adding that all private and government hospitals have been put on alert in the nearby districts, including state capital Bhubaneswar.

So far, 70 bodies could be brought out from the derailed coaches, they said.

A PTI reporter at the spot said several people were trapped in the derailed coaches, and locals were assisting emergency services personnel to rescue them. Later, RPF cordoned off the area as NDRF and ODRAF continued the operations.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who was on the way to the spot, said the Air Force was also called in for the rescue operations.

''Rushing to the site in Odisha. My prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured and condolences to the bereaved families. Rescue teams mobilised from Bhubaneswar and Kolkata. NDRF, State govt. teams and Airforce also mobilised. Will take all hands required for the rescue ops,'' he tweeted.

Officials in Bhubaneswar said 115 ambulances, 50 buses and 45 mobile health units were working at the accident site, besides 1,200 personnel.

Locals said they heard consecutive loud sounds, following which they rushed to the spot and found the derailed coaches, which were nothing but ''a mangled heap of steel''.

''The local people really went out on a limb to help us... They not only helped in pulling out people but retrieved our luggage and got us water,'' said Rupam Banerjee, one of the passengers.

Over 2,000 people gathered at the Balasore Medical College and Hospital in the night to help the injured, and many also donated blood.

So far, 30 surgeries were done on the accident victims at the Balasore Medical College and Hospital, doctors said.

Gas cutters were being used to bring out passengers from the derailed coaches. ''Some of the scenes at the site were too gory to describe,'' said another passenger, who claimed that most of those trapped have been rescued.

The railways announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the deceased, Rs 2 lakh for those grievously injured and Rs 50,000 for those who got minor injuries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too expressed his distress over the accident, and announced an additional ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

''Distressed by the train accident in Odisha. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to Railway Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw and took stock of the situation. Rescue ops are underway at the site of the mishap and all possible assistance is being given to those affected,'' he tweeted.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said will be visiting the site by Saturday morning.

The Odisha government issued helpline 06782-262286. The railway helplines are 033-26382217 (Howrah), 8972073925 (Kharagpur), 8249591559 (Balasore) and 044- 25330952 (Chennai).

Expressing concern over the accident, in which a large number of people from West Bengal were involved, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was monitoring the situation along with the chief secretary and other officials.

West Bengal Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi added that the state was sending a team led by minister Manas Bhunia and MP Dola Sen to the spot. So far, 18 long-distance trains have been cancelled due to the accident, which happened on the Howrah-Chennai main line in the Kharagpur division of the South Eastern Railway.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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