Odisha train crash death toll reaches 261, over 650 people in hospitals

The toll in the horrific accident involving three trains in Odisha's Balasore district has gone up to 261, the South Eastern Railway confirmed on Saturday.

SER spokesperson Aditya Chowdhury said, "The number of casualties in Friday's railway accident has increased to 261. Another 650 injured passengers are being treated at various hospitals in Odisha."

The incident involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train. The tragic accident occurred near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district, about 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar, at around 7 pm on Friday.

Rescue operations have concluded after a massive response from authorities. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik declared a one-day state mourning, and both the Odisha government and Indian Railways have set up helplines for assistance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and announced additional compensation from the PM's National Relief Fund.

The Balasore train crash has caused significant disruption to train services in the region, with several long-distance trains being cancelled. So far, 18 long-distance trains have been cancelled due to the accident, which happened on the Howrah-Chennai main line in the Kharagpur division of the South Eastern Railway.

The injured passengers are receiving treatment at various hospitals, and local residents have extended their support by donating blood and assisting in rescue efforts. The railway tracks have suffered extensive damage, and the recovery of bodies from the derailed coaches has been completed.

Locals said they heard consecutive loud sounds, following which they rushed to the spot and found the derailed coaches, which were nothing but "a mangled heap of steel". "The local people really went out on a limb to help us... They not only helped in pulling out people but retrieved our luggage and got us water," Rupam Banerjee, one of the passengers, told reporters.

Pijush Poddar, a resident of Berhampore in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, was travelling to Tamil Nadu in the Coromandel Express to join work there when the accident happened. "We were jolted and suddenly saw the train bogie turn on one side. Many of us were thrown out of the compartment by the momentum of the derailment. When we managed to crawl out, we found bodies lying all around," he said.

"Some of the scenes at the site were too gory to describe," said another passenger.

More than 2,000 people gathered at the Balasore Medical College and Hospital in the night to help the injured, and many also donated blood. Chief Secretary Jena thanked the volunteers who donated blood to the accident victims in their hour of need.

"Five hundred units of blood collected overnight here at Balasore. Nine hundred units in stock at present. This will help in treating the accident victims. I'm personally indebted & grateful to all the volunteers who've donated blood for a noble cause," Jena tweeted.