233 People Killed, Over 900 Injured after Triple Train Collision in Odisha

Bhubaneshwar: The death toll has risen to 280 in the Odisha train mishap that occurred in Balasore on Friday evening. More than 900 passengers have been injured. The rescue operation is going on here since night. The injured are piled up in the hospitals. Along with this, it is being said that a large number of passengers are trapped in the train compartments.

Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena on Saturday said that the bogies are severely damaged and they have been compressed from various sides. That's why it is taking time in cutting the bogies. 

Several coaches of the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, on the way to Howrah, derailed and fell on adjacent tracks. The 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express coming from the opposite direction on the parallel track rammed into the derailed coaches. Some 12 Coromandel Express coaches derail and hit the stationary goods train on the third track.

The official said that the coaches of the Coromandel Express collided with a goods train after derailment, which led to the accident. Currently, all trains on this route have been stopped. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter to find out how the accident took place. Odisha's Information and Public Relations Department said that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has declared a day of official mourning. Therefore, no festival will be celebrated on June 3 in the entire state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the Odisha train accident. He tweeted, "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 Ashwini Vaishnaw and took stock of the situation. Rescue ops are underway at the site of the mishap and all possible assistance is being given to those affected"