Odisha Triple Train Crash: Railways Seek CBI Probe As Death Toll Stands At 275 — Top Points
The opposition slammed the government, and called for the resignation of Vaishnaw, while the Railways sought a CBI investigation. Here are the key events that unfolded two days after the accident.
The opposition on Sunday (June 4) demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw over the Odisha rail tragedy and attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he should accept some of the blame for maintaining an "all is well" facade while the Indian Railways' critical infrastructure "languishes in neglect." The Railways, on the other hand, has requested a CBI investigation into the crash, just hours after Vaishnaw announced that the "root cause" of the accident and those responsible for the "criminal" act had been identified.
The official death toll two days after the train disaster is 275, with over a thousand people reportedly injured. Several survivors of the incident have recounted their trauma as they return to their respective homes and families. Here's what happened today (the third day of the tragic accident).
1. Opposition Demands Rail Minister Vaishnaw's Resignation
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that Modi was too preoccupied with flagging off trains to pay attention to railway safety. He advocated for increased accountability at all levels of government in order to avoid similar incidents in the future.
Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi also slammed the government, saying the prime minister should seek the resignation of the railway minister immediately.
270+ मौतों के बाद भी कोई जवाबदेही नहीं!
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 4, 2023
मोदी सरकार इतनी दर्दनाक दुर्घटना की ज़िम्मेदारी लेने से भाग नहीं सकती।
प्रधानमंत्री को फ़ौरन रेल मंत्री का इस्तीफा लेना चाहिए!
2. Official Numbers Of Causalities Stands At 275: Odisha Chief Secretary
The chief secretary of Odisha gave a brief overview of the situation at the accident site and discussed the revised death toll and restoration work that is currently being done in Balasore. The official death toll is currently at 275. The official also expressed gratitude to the state's residents for their assistance throughout the operation.
The Odisha government revised the death toll in the three-train crash from 288 to 275 after some bodies were counted twice. With 187 bodies still unidentified, the local administration is finding it difficult to keep them until the victims' kin claim them.
While 110 bodies were kept at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, the remainder were sent to Capital Hospital, Amri Hospital, Sum Hospital, and other private facilities.
#OdishaTrainAccident | Bhubaneswar: Chief Secretary Odisha Pradeep Jena speaks on the revised death toll and restoration work which is currently underway in Balasore. pic.twitter.com/tKnkbbBzi5
— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2023
3. Railways Seek CBI Probe
The railways have requested a CBI investigation into the Balasore train crash, just hours after minister Vaishnaw stated that the "root cause" of the accident and those responsible for the "criminal" act have been identified. According to news agency PTI, railway officials also indicated that possible "sabotage" and tampering with the electronic interlocking system, which detects the presence of trains, contributed to the Friday accident.
#WATCH | Railway Board recommends CBI probe related to #OdishaTrainAccident, announces Railways minister Vaishnaw pic.twitter.com/X9qUs55fZr
— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2023
READ | Odisha Train Accident: Bangladeshi Diplomat Visits Balasore To Look For Injured Passengers
4. Around 260 Currently Undergoing Treatment In Odisha Hospitals
260 people were injured in the triple train accident in Balasore and are currently being treated in various hospitals across Odisha, while approximately 900 have been discharged, PTI reported citing health department officials.
Three Union ministers, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Mansukh Mandaviya, and Dharmendra Pradhan, paid a visit to the state-run SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, where 202 injured people are being treated, according to a hospital official.
The crash on Friday involved three trains: the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast, and a goods train. It is now being described as one of India's worst train accidents.
At 7 pm on June 2, the Coromandel Express collided with a stationary goods train, derailing most of its coaches. A few Coromandel coaches collided with the last few coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Express, which was passing through at the same time.
Investigators are looking into human error, signal failure, and other potential causes of the three-train collision.
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