PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, June 3 : Over 230 passengers were killed and over 900 after a passenger train hit the derailed coaches of Coromandel Express in Odisha’s Balasore district on Friday evening.
A press note issued by South Eastern Railway’s Chakradharpyr division said that Train no. 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Coromandal Express and Train no. 12864 SMVB – HWH Superfast Express got derailed near Bahanaga Bazaar Railway station at around 6.55 pm on Friday.
Immediately, accident relief trains were requisitioned from Kharagpur, Balasore and Santragachi.
The relief train from Kharagpur was ordered at 7.02 pm and left for the accident site from Kharagpur at 7.23 pm.
“Rescue operations are being carried out at war footing. NDRF and medical team worked throughout the night. Minorly injured passengers are being shifted to the Balasore, Khantapara, Soro and Gopalpur Health units on priority,” said a railway spokesperson adding that several trains in the route have been cancelled and diverted.
Helpdeskd have been opened at Howrah, Santragachi, Shalimar, Kharagpur and Balasore.
Helpline Numbers
Howrah : 033-2638227
Kharagpur : 8972073925, 9332392339
Balasore: 8249591559, 7978418322, 8585039521
Shalimar : 9903370746
Santragachi : 8109289460, 8340649469
Railway staff and officials are present at the accident site and rescue operations are going on at utmost priority. In one of his tweets, Odisha chief secretary PK Jena wrote, “The death toll in the train accident is increasing. Rescue operation is on.”
