Balasore train accident: Secy to Odisha CM meets injured; assures all help

The disastrous train accident has claimed 288 lives so far while over 1,000 people sustained injuries.

As directed by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Secretary (5T) VK Pandian on Saturday visited SCB medical college and hospital and met the injured of the Balasore train accident, a press release said. The 5T stands for team work, technology, transparency, transformation and time limit.

Pandian enquired about the victims' condition and assured all support from the Odisha government in providing better treatment, the press release from the Chief Minister's office said. He also interacted with the doctors and staff and thanked them for their sincere efforts and hard work in extending excellent service to the injured.

"Due to their support such a large health operation could be conducted successfully and many lives could be saved," Pandian added. Reminding the quote of CM, Pandian said that every life is precious and thanked the doctors and staff for making it their motto.

5T Secretary also thanked the doctors and students for their noble gesture of donating blood to the victims of train accidents, the statement added. The disastrous train accident has claimed 288 lives so far while over 1,000 people sustained injuries.

As per a report, a total of 1175 injured persons were admitted to various government and private hospitals. Out of the total 793 have been discharged after treatment. Currently, 382 passengers are undergoing treatment in various government and private hospitals. Condition two of them is said to be critical, the report said. The preliminary report on the tragedy said that the three-way accident involved Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express and the goods train on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar Station in Balasore district. It had said that 17 coaches of these two trains were derailed and severely damaged in the accident that took place on Friday evening.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached the train crash site in Odisha's Balasore. He was accompanied by Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. "It's a painful incident. The government will not be able to bring them back, who lost their lives [in the accident], but the government is with their kin in this grief. This incident is very serious for the government. The government will leave no stone unturned for the treatment of those injured. Instructions have been given for every type of investigation and whoever is found guilty will not be spared," PM Modi said. (ANI)

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