Odisha train tragedy among deadliest accidents in Indian history; here's what happened

In a devastating incident near the Bahanaga railway station in Odisha's Balasore district, two passenger trains and a goods train collided, resulting in the loss of at least 120 lives and leaving over 350 individuals severely injured. The tragic event unfolded on June 2, sending shockwaves through the region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the major train accident.

The Prime Minister spoke to Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and is “taking stock of the situation”, stating that all possible assistance is being given to the affected. According to reports, the railways minister is scheduled to reach the spot where the mishap took place. Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha, reached the office of the special relief commissioner and will be visiting the spot where the train derailment occurred on June 3 early morning.

Coromandel Express derails and collides with goods train, trapping passengers

A railway spokesperson, speaking to Republic Media Network, said that around 7 PM, 10-12 coaches of the Coromandel Express, that was en route from West Bengal's Shalimar to Chennai, Tamil Nadu's capital, derailed near Baleshwar and "infringed" upon the opposite tracks. He added, "In a short interval, another train going from Yeshwantpur to Howrah side dashed on the already infringed track, leading to the derailment of 3 to 4 coaches."

Many passengers are still trapped in the derailed coaches of the Coromandel Express. Officials stated that four coaches of the train derailed in Odisha's Balasore district on Friday evening after a head-on collision with a goods train.The accident occurred around 7:20 PM near Bahanaga Bazar station when the train was en route to Chennai Central station from the Shalimar station near Kolkata. Accident relief trains were dispatched to the spot, and the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action (ODRAF) Force, under the directions of the state government, rushed to assist in rescue operations.

Further developments

The railway spokesman further added that the railway is engaged in rescue operations and it's too early to speak about casualties, but there have been serious injuries. The Assistant General Manager of the South Eastern Railway is reaching the spot along with Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman of Delhi Railway board. The official stated that more help, including ARMEs (Accident Relief Medical Equipment) and state ambulances, would be reaching the spot. The Railway and Odisha government rushed four units of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and three units of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) along with 60 ambulances for relief and rescue work.The triple train tragedy has resulted in several trains being cancelled, while a host of others were diverted through a different route.