Odisha Train Accident: PM Modi to visit Balasore, will review situation

Odisha Train Crash: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leaving for Odisha in order to review the situation in the wake of the horrific train accident in Balasore district.

Earlier, PM Modi had convened a meeting to review the situation in relation to the Odisha train6 accident, according to government sources.

PM Modi expressed his distress over the accident, and announced an additional ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the PM’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

“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 @AshwiniVaishnaw 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,” he tweeted.

Earlier on Thursday, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Railway Minsiter Ashwini Vaishnaw and BJP MP from Balasore Pratap Sarangi paid a visit to the hospital in Balasore to meet those injured in the Odisha train accident.

The death toll in the horrific train accident in the Balasore district of Odisha has risen to 261.

According to state chief secretary Pradeep Jena, more than 900 people have been injured in the accident which saw three trains collide with each other on Friday evening.

“So far around 900 passengers have been injured and are being treated in various hospitals in Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Cuttack districts,” the official told the media.

“Only one bogie is left, which is severely damaged. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Fire Service are still working to cut the bogie and try to recover the living or the dead,” he added.

The Chief Secretary added that the bodies were being given to the deceased’s kin upon presentation of identification documents.

(With agency inputs)

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