Train Accident Death Toll In India Increases To 288

Illustration (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The death toll from a train accident in India increased to 288 on Saturday (3/5), when the rescue team ended the search for casualties, local officials said.

The accident occurred in the Replakore District in Odisha on Friday night (2/5) and a massive rescue operation was carried out involving National Disaster Response Forces, the military, and other agencies.

On Saturday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and reviewed search and rescue operations.

"He interacted with local authorities, personnel from disaster relief forces, and railway officials. He stressed the 'All Government' approach to mitigate this extraordinary tragedy," the Indian Press Information Bureau said on Twitter of Modi's visit, quoted by Antara.

Modi asked the relevant authorities to ensure all the assistance needed was given to the injured victims and their families.

After meeting with injured people, Modi told public broadcaster Doordarshan that instructions were issued for a thorough investigation, and said those found guilty would be severely punished.

He promised that the government would work hard to provide care to the injured victims.

Previously, Modi held a meeting in New Delhi to get a briefing on the situation after the train accident.

A report issued by the Odisha emergency operations center on Saturday described the crash as a three-way accident, involving Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, Coromandel Express, and freight trains on three separate routes at the Bahanaga market station.

"The 17 carriages of these two trains have slipped and were badly damaged," the report said, which noted that about 1,000 people were injured.

Railway authorities also said that rescue operations had been completed at the accident site and restoration work had begun.

Authorities in Odisha announced that 200 ambulances and 45 mobile health teams, as well as an additional team of doctors, were deployed.

Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde, a top official from the Repangore district, told Anadolu that nearly 1,100 people were injured in the accident and transferred to various hospitals.

Railway Minister Arwini Vaishnaw, who arrived at the scene on Saturday, said the best health care facility would be provided to injured and a high-level committee was set up to investigate the crash and to find out the root cause of the crash.