Odisha Train Tragedy: State Revises Death Toll To 288 As Final Fatality Figure

The tragic train collision in Balasore, Odisha, has claimed a death toll of 288, as confirmed by the Collector of Balasore after a comprehensive reconciliation process involving district hospitals, mortuaries, and reports from various districts.

At present, 205 bodies have been transferred, with 95 bodies being transported at the district level and 193 bodies brought to Bhubaneswar. Out of the bodies transported to Bhubaneswar, 110 have been identified, leaving 83 bodies yet to be identified, according to officials.

Following the devastating triple train crash, several unidentified bodies were accumulated in hospitals across Bhubaneswar. To address this, AIIMS Bhubaneswar has initiated DNA sampling for claimants, with 10 samples collected thus far, according to officials cited by PTI news agency.

Dr. Pravas Tripathy, Deputy Superintendent of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, explained that bodies are being released after thorough investigations. Due to multiple families claiming a single body, DNA sampling is being conducted. The reports from the DNA sampling process are expected to be received within 7 to 10 days, as mentioned in the PTI report.

Dr. Tripathy also assured that the bodies are being appropriately preserved in containers, minimizing any preservation-related concerns.

According to reports, the victims of the Balasore triple train crash primarily hail from West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha.

In the aftermath of the tragic incident, three agencies-the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), and the Government Railway Police of Balasore-have launched an investigation.

Meanwhile, Rinkesh Roy, the Khurda Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), has expressed suspicions of external interference with the equipment, suggesting that such tampering may have led to the Coromandel Express mistakenly entering the loop line and colliding with the iron-laden goods train on June 2.

The devastating three-train collision occurred at 7 pm on June 2, resulting in the derailment of several coaches when the Coromandel Express collided with a stationary goods train. Additionally, a few coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Express, passing by at the same time, were affected as some coaches of the Coromandel Express toppled over them.

Investigations are currently underway to determine the contributing factors of the crash, including potential human error, signal failure, and other possible causes.