Odisha train crash live: 'Balasore Collector confirms death toll as 288'
The train crash happened near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district, about 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar, around 7 pm on Friday, prompting the Railway Ministry to order a probe.
CHENNAI: In one of the worst railway disasters in India, at least 288 people were killed and more than 1,100 injured when three trains collided one after another in a horrific sequence in Odisha's Balasore district, setting off a massive rescue and evacuation process, officials said on Saturday.
The train crash happened near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district, about 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar, around 7 pm on Friday, prompting the Railway Ministry to order a probe.
The inquiry into the train accident will be led by A M Chowdhary, Commissioner of Railway Safety, South East Circle, the Indian Railways said in a statement.
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.
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".
More than 2,000 people gathered at the Balasore Medical College and Hospital in the night to help the injured, and many also donated blood.
The railways announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the next of kin of 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 next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the PM's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
Live Updates
3 Jun 2023 3:42 PM IST"Govt must give compensation to the kin of the dead and those who were injured in Balasore train accident and along with that, a court of inquiry must also be established to probe the reasons behind the accident," says Former Haryana CM and Congress leader BS Hooda.
- 3 Jun 2023 3:36 PM IST
"Irrespective of the political parties, I request them to come forward & help...I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families...I have to ask many questions to our great PM & Railways Minister. They have to answer why such things are happening and who is responsible for this...but today we have to extend relief to the suffering people", says Congress president & former Railways Minister Mallikarjun Kharge.
- 3 Jun 2023 2:44 PM IST
#WATCH | Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express-some of the coaches of which derailed after colliding with coaches of Coromandal Express in Odisha's Balasore, reaches Howrah railway station in West Bengal pic.twitter.com/2YtDw0bPIX
— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2023 - 3 Jun 2023 2:44 PM IST
"Deeply saddened by the loss of hundreds of lives in a train accident in India..," tweets Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif
- 3 Jun 2023 2:44 PM IST
I express my deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the Odisha train accident and wish a speedy recovery to the injured. The people of India are in our thoughts in this time of sorrow. Europe mourns with you: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
- 3 Jun 2023 2:44 PM IST
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has deputed Lok Sabha Leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and AICC In-Charge A Chella Kumar to immediately visit the train crash site in Odisha to take stock of the situation and oversee relief efforts being undertaken by INC workers and frontal organisations: Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal
- 3 Jun 2023 2:44 PM IST
"...We have not got any report of anybody from Tamil Nadu in the identified dead bodies till now. There are a large number of unidentified for which the Railway is running a train from Chennai in the evening. Any family member of passengers who are not in touch with them can take the train and come here to Bhadrak..," says Kumar Jayant, Tamil Nadu Principal Secretary- Revenue and Disaster Management, on #BalasoreTrainAccident
- 3 Jun 2023 2:42 PM IST
The Coromandal Express train met with an accident and dashed with stationery goods train at Bahanaga Bazar station. The train was going at full speed as it was not supposed to stop at the station. The impact was such that its 21 coaches derailed with its 3 coaches infringing on the other line (Dn line). Simultaneously, Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express was passing through Bahanaga Bazar station and collided, with its rearmost 2 coaches derailed: Govt Sources
- 3 Jun 2023 2:22 PM IST
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has deputed a team led by Minister Santosh Lad to ensure the safety of Kannadigas in the #BalasoreTrainAccident. The Chief Minister has sought reports from the Chief Secretary and has directed the concerned officers to visit the spot to ensure the safety of Kannadigas and provide all necessary support to them: Karnataka CMO
- 3 Jun 2023 2:22 PM IST
#BalasoreTrainAccident | The Coromandal Express train met with an accident and dashed with stationery goods train at Bahanaga Bazar station. The train was going at full speed as it was not supposed to stop at the station. The impact was such that its 21 coaches derailed with its…
— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2023
