The Odisha Government declared a day of mourning on June 3 in the wake of the horrific train derailment in Balasore, which claimed the lives of more than 200 passengers and left another 900 injured on June 2 evening.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik declared a day’s mourning on June 3, saying that no State celebrations would be held on the day. The announcement was made through an official release by the state I&PR Department.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on June 3 said he had ordered a high-level probe into the derailment on June 2 night.
Speaking to ANI on the incident, Ashwini Vaishnaw said the accident was unfortunate, and the rescue operation began shortly after word of the incident reached his ministry.
He said the probe was ordered to determine what caused the derailment of the passenger train coaches.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Dola Sen on June 3 said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to visit the accident site on June 3, adding that she has sent officials from Kharagpur to engage in the ongoing relief operations at the scene of the horrific accident.
“…we are shocked…Our CM (Mamata Banerjee) might come here tomorrow …she has sent our officials… doctors, and a trauma ambulance from Kharagpur,” Dola Sen said.
Several coaches of the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express derailed near Bahanaga station in Odisha’s Balasore after hitting a goods train.
According to Railway spokesperson Amitabh Sharma, the accident took place around 7 pm on June 2.
“Around 7 pm, 10-12 coaches of the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express derailed near Baleswar and fell on the opposite track. After some time, another train from Yeswanthpur to Howrah dashed into those derailed coaches resulting in the derailment of its 3-4 coaches,” Sharma told ANI.
(with inputs from ANI)
