More than 290 dead in horrific train accident in Odisha !

More than 1000 injured
Death toll expected to rise
Prime Minister Modi visits accident site to review the situation

Odhisha train accident (Credit : India Posts English)

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) – The Coromandel Express travelling Kolkata to Chennai met with a major accident in Odisha on 2nd June at 7 p.m. The accident took place at Bahanaga railway station, 40 kilometres away from Balasore in Odisha. More than 290 people have been killed and over 900 have been injured in this accident, so far. The rescue work to recover the passengers trapped in the derailed coaches was going on till afternoon of 3rd June. It has also been found that there were many dead bodies in these coaches. There is a chance of rise in the death toll as these bodies are being recovered. Along with the injured being recovered, the derailed coaches are being removed from the railway tracks on a war footing to restore the railway travel on this route to normalcy. Since the night of 2nd June, a rescue operation is being carried out by the National Disaster Response Force along with the local disaster management team. More than 60 ambulances were operating since then. The injured are being treated on an urgent basis at different hospitals. There is an appeal for blood donation to fulfil the blood requirement of the injured.

(Credit : 9 News Australia)

How did the accident happen ?

There was a stationary goods train near Bahanaga Railway Station. On another track, Coromadel Express was passing by towards Kolkata. At the same time, Yesvantpur Howrah Express came in the opposite direction on a third track. Suddenly, Coromadel Express derailed from its track and 15 of its coaches moved towards the goods train while some coaches climbed on it. 4 coaches slid on to the other track and rammed into the Yesvantpur Howrah Express. This resulted in the derailment of 3 coaches of that train too leading to a bizarre accident. The Coromadel Express was travelling at a speed of 125 kilometres per hour at the time of the accident.

(Credit : The Independent)

Cause yet unclear

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the cause of the accident was yet unclear, a detailed investigation would be carried out. He mentioned that the treatment of the injured was the first priority. The Flagging off ceremony of the Mumbai-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express has been cancelled after the 2nd June accident.

Armed Forces join rescue operation

The Public Relations Office of the Indian Defense Forces informed that the Medical and Engineering teams from the Indian Army have been deployed at the accident site. Different teams from the Eastern Army Command have been sent to Bahanaga Railway Station. The Indian Air Force has deployed 2 ‘Mi- 17’ helicopters for the rescue operation.

Prime Minister Modi reviews the situation

After the accident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened an emergency meeting on the morning of 3rd June . He then declared that he would visit Balasore . He reached Balasore by 3 p.m., reviewed the situation and met injured victims in the hospital.

(Credit : India Today)

This is not the time for politics ! – Mamata Banerjee, Bengal CM

Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal said that the Odisha tragedy is deeply painful. It is not the time for any kind of politics. Mamata Banerjee reached Odisha and visited the accident site to take stock of the situation. She made enquiries about the injured. She said, ‘West Bengal government will provide ₹5 lakh each for those who have died in the accident. Also, a team of doctors from West Bengal has been dispatched’

Naveen Patnaik, Chief minister of Odisha visited the hospitals and met the injured.

Deeply anguished to know about the loss of lives in an unfortunate rail accident in Balasore, Odisha. My heart goes out to the bereaved families. I pray for the success of rescue operations and quick recovery of the injured.

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 2, 2023

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…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 2, 2023