101 bodies are still to be identified days after horrific train crash in Odisha

Officials reported on Monday that 101 bodies have yet to be identified in the aftermath of the terrible railway accident in Odisha, which claimed at least 278 lives and injured over 1000 people.

According to Rinkesh Roy, Divisional Railway Manager of the Eastern Central Railways, about 200 persons are still being treated in various hospitals in Odisha.

“About 1,100 people were injured in the accident, out of which about 900 people were discharged after treatment. Around 200 people are being treated in various hospitals in the state. Out of 278 people who died in the accident, 101 bodies are yet to be identified,” Mr Roy told ANI.

The devastating collision, involving two passenger trains and a freight train, took the lives of at least 275 people and caused injuries to over 1100 others in Balasore. This tragic incident has had a profound impact across India.

Vijay Amrit Kulange, Commissioner, of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation told ANI, “Of the total 193 bodies kept in Bhubaneswar, 80 bodies have been identified. 55 bodies have been handed over to the relatives. More than 200 calls have been received on BMC’s helpline number 1929. The dead bodies are being identified and handed over to the relatives.”

When the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express collided with a halted goods train, many coaches derailment onto the opposite track occurred. Following that, the Howrah Express, which was travelling from Yesvantpur to Howrah, collided with the affected carriages at high speed, causing severe derailment.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the Balasore accident site from ground zero and also visited the injured being treated at the hospital.

Before leaving Delhi for the mishap site, PM Modi had also chaired a high-level review meeting on the same.