The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered an FIR and taken over the investigation into the Odisha train accident that killed more than 275 people. The CBI's move came on the request of Ministry of Railways in the train accident involving Coromandel Express, Yeswanthpur-Howrah Express, and a goods train at Bahanaga Bazar in the State of Odisha on 2nd June, 2023.
CBI has taken over the investigation of the case earlier registered at the Government Railway Police Station in Cuttack on June 3. With the lodging of the FIR, the CBI team, which had earlier reached the accident spot in Balasore, has taken over the investigation from the state.
Railways put the official death toll in the Odisha triple train crash at 278, stating that three more people have succumbed to their injuries. The tragic accident occurred when the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express collided with a stationary goods train, causing several coaches to derail onto the adjacent track. As a result, the Howrah Express, traveling from Yeswanthpur to Howrah, collided with the affected carriages at high speed, resulting in further derailment.
Khurda Road Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Rinkesh Ray said on Monday that apart from 278 deaths, 1,100 people were injured in the June 2 accident.
On the state government's toll remaining at 275, he said, "Figures do change with time." The toll was earlier put at 288, which the state government revised to 275 on Sunday, claiming some bodies were counted twice.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, also a former Railway Minister, questioned the figures, stating that 61 people from her state have died and 182 others are still missing.
Roy said of the 1,100 injured, less than 200 are undergoing treatment in various hospitals.
He said that of the total 278 bodies, 177 have been identified while 101 more are yet to be identified and these unclaimed bodies have been kept in six different hospitals.