Severe train accident near Bahanaga station in Balasore district, involving the Coromandel Express train, leads to significant casualties and injuries.
DESK – A devastating train accident occurred near Bahanaga railway station in Balasore district, Odisha, on the evening of June 2, 2023.
The Coromandel Express Train, en route to Chennai Central from Shalimar station near Kolkata, derailed causing around 50 fatalities and leaving over 170 passengers injured.
According to the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Southern Railway, the accident happened at around 7.20 pm.
Immediate search and rescue operations were launched with the deployment of three units from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), four units from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), and 60 ambulances to the site.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his distress over the incident, offering his condolences to the bereaved families.
He stated, ‘In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon.’
He has also been in contact with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to monitor the situation.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also expressed her concern, announcing the dispatch of a team led by a Minister to aid the victims. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed officials to rush to the site, as Odisha’s Chief Secretary, Pradeep Jena, acknowledged the scale of the tragedy on Twitter.
The Balasore district has established an emergency control room to manage the crisis. The emergency contact number is 06782262286.
