Odisha train accident: Patnaik briefs PM on latest situation

The prime minister also praised the people of Odisha for the kind of support and timely help in this hour of crisis.Both the PM and Patnaik visited the train accident site at Bahanga Bazar in Balasore district on Saturday.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone and briefed him about the latest train accident situation, particularly the treatment of injured passengers.

Noting that doctors, medical students and other health care service providers are doing their best, Patnaik told the prime minister that all possible steps have been taken to save the lives of injured passengers in different hospitals of Odisha. Stating that Odisha follows a policy that underlines 'Every Life is Precious,' Patnaik said that starting from the rescue operation to carrying injured to hospitals, and making arrangements for treatment, the state government leaves no stone unturned to save lives.

Detailing the latest situation, he said that as many as 1,175 patients were admitted to various hospitals, out of which 793 people were discharged. Most of the injured patients are in stable condition, he added.

Currently, 382 passengers are now undergoing treatment in various government and private hospitals, the chief minister said.

The prime minister thanked the chief minister, the Odisha government for the prompt and efficient action during the crisis. The Centre is ready to provide any kind of assistance if required, a release issued by CMO said quoting the prime minister. The prime minister also praised the people of Odisha for the kind of support and timely help in this hour of crisis.

Both the PM and Patnaik visited the train accident site at Bahanga Bazar in Balasore district on Saturday. Three trains— Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah super fast and a goods train — were involved in the pile-up, now being described as one of India's worst train accidents. The Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary goods train, derailing most of its coaches at around 7 pm Friday. A few coaches of Coromandel whiplashed the last few coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Express which was passing by at the same time. Investigators are looking into possible human error, signal failure and other possible causes behind the three-train crash.