Odisha: Odisha rail tragedy claims over 230 lives; PM Modi convenes meeting to review situation, to visit train accident site and hospital | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday convened a meeting to review the situation in relation to the Odisha train accident, government sources said. The accident involving three trains in Odisha’s Balasore district has left at least 238 people dead so far.
The Prime Minister will also visit the site of the train accident and the Cuttack hospital where the injured are being treated.
Officials in Bhubaneswar reported that a massive relief operation was underway at the accident site. Around 200 ambulances, 50 buses, and 45 mobile health units, along with 1,200 personnel, were deployed to provide assistance. Bodies were being transported to hospitals using various means of transport, including tractors.
The train crash, ranking as the fourth deadliest in India based on available records, occurred near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district. The site is situated approximately 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar. The incident took place around 7 pm on Friday, prompting the Railway Ministry to launch a comprehensive investigation.

While the exact cause of the crash remains unclear, preliminary sources suggest a possible signaling failure may have played a role.
A railway official stated that several coaches of the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, en route to Howrah, derailed and collided with adjacent tracks. Consequently, the 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, traveling in the opposite direction, was also impacted, resulting in some of its coaches overturning.
In addition to these two passenger trains, a goods train was involved in the accident. Coaches of the Coromandel Express, bound for Chennai, struck the wagons of the goods train after derailing.
Amitabh Sharma, a spokesperson for the Railway, said that the Coromandel Express derailed first. Subsequently, approximately 10-12 of its coaches fell onto the track where the Bengaluru-Howrah Express was traveling, causing it to derail as well.
The conflicting accounts of the accident have yet to be reconciled at this time.
While offering condolences for the lives lost in one of India’s worst train disasters, the opposition also criticized the government for its handling of the situation.
(With inputs from agencies)