Odisha train accident highlights: Toll tops 290, nearly 400 still in hospitals

The first prone bodies began to arrive at the Balasore district hospital by 10pm on Friday. But within a few hours it became clear to health officials manning the gates of hospitals…read more.

Investigators were looking into any human error, signal failure and other possible causes behind the three-train crash in Odisha’s Balasore district. 

Returning home to their families after several months of working in south India, passengers aboard the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express suddenly heard a loud thud, following which they fell off their berths and lights went off. Read full story

Slamming the Centre over the train accident in Odisha, the AAP on Saturday alleged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's entire focus is on "PR exercise and showing off" and not passengers' safety. Read full story

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday visited Bahanaga Bazar in Odisha's Balasore district three-way rail accident that took place on Friday evening involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, Coromandel Express and a goods train and took stock of the situation. Read the full story here

The authorities have not received any report of fatalities from Tamil Nadu so far, a top state official said on Saturday while underlining that many bodies are yet to be identified. Tamil Nadu chief secretary V Irai Anbu said the railway is running a train from Chennai for the family members to reach Bhadrak and try to identify the bodies. Read the full story here

After a triple train crash in Odisha's Balasore that claimed nearly 290 lives, and injured over 800 passengers, the railways on Saturday confirmed that there was no ‘Kavach’ system installed on the trains, that could have prevented them from colliding with each other. Read the full story here

Till now 1175 patients were admitted to private hospitals out of which 793 patients have been discharged while 382 patients continue to be in hospital among which 2 are critical, rest all are stable: Odisha Health Department

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will visit AIIMS Bhubaneswar and Medical College in Cuttack tomorrow to take stock of medical assistance being provided to the injured victims of Oisha train accident: ANI 

A 24-hour control room has been set up to monitor the relief activities for the train accident in Odisha. A roundabout control room has been opened in Medinipur. Death toll rose from the Balasore train mishap. Helpline has been opened at Tamluk in east Medinipur. Some people are untraced, the search is on for the missing: Rahul Pandey, SDPO

A group of around 110 passengers from Karnataka has emerged unharmed from the tragic triple-train crash in Odisha’s Balasore on Friday, people familiar with the matter said on Saturday. Read the full story here

The rescue operation is almost complete. The operation of the last bogie has started. So far the death toll has been around 288. The injured are undergoing treatment: Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena on the train accident in Balasore.

Bhubaneswar: Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare & Sports Minister Udaynidhi Stalin and Transport Minister SS Shivsankar along with government officials met Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to discuss about the train accident that took the lives of many.

A “mistaken” signal likely led to the Coromandel Express entering the railway line on which a goods train was parked a few metres ahead, resulting in a three-train accident in Odisha’s Balasore late on Friday that killed 290 people and injured 900, according to a preliminary probe by senior railway officials. The report also said the line on which the two trains collided was “partially corroded”. Read the full story here

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reacts to an incident earlier today at Balasore train accident site where WB CM Mamata Banerjee disagreed with him on the death toll, says, "...we want full transparency, this is not time to do politics, this is time to focus on making sure that restoration happens at the earliest," Ashwini Vaishnaw was quoted by ANI.

The collision involved three trains, including the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and a goods train. Read the full story here

The Coromandel Express train involved in the accident in Odisha's Balasore took the wrong track minutes before the tragedy, according to initial reports from the railways signalling control room. The Chennai-bound Coromandel Express took the loop line instead of the main line just ahead of Bahanagar Bazar station on Friday evening, a senior railways official said on condition of anonymity. Read the full story here

Indian Navy dispatched a medical & support team of 43 personnel including surgical specialists, medical assistants, ambulances & support services from INS Chilka. The medical team are presently attending to the injured at the District Head Quarter Hospital at Balasore. The teams are deployed in coordination with state officials, reports ANI

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday condoled loss of lives in the train accident at Balasore in Odisha and said his thoughts are with the families of the victims.

Macron said that France stands in solidarity with India.

Slamming the Centre over the train accident in Odisha, the AAP on Saturday alleged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's entire focus is on "PR exercise and showing off" and not passengers' safety.

Returning home to their families after several months of working in south India, passengers aboard the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express suddenly heard a loud thud, following which they fell off their berths and lights went off.

"The train was running at a high speed. Around 7 pm, a loud sound was heard and everything started moving in all directions and I fell down on the floor from the upper berth as the lights went off inside the compartment," Mizan Ul Haq, who was returning home from work in Karnataka on a holiday, said.

“This is a very sad incident...More than 250 people have died. If one train met with an accident then how come the other two trains were not stopped, there must be some error that needs to be investigated by an independent retired judge:” National Conference president Farooq Abdullah speaks to ANI

Alleging that the BJP-led government at the Centre has "destroyed" the railways, RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday claimed that sheer negligence has caused the train tragedy in Odisha's Balasore district.

So far, a total of 58 trains stand cancelled, 81 were diverted & 10 were terminated. Work is underway in full swing, & restoration will be done soon; first, we will complete the restoration of the downline: Amitabh Sharma, Spokesperson, Ministry of Railways on Balasore train mishap