India Train Crash: Over 80 Bodies Remain Unidentified
Five days have passed since a tragic three-train collision claimed the lives of 288 individuals in India, and over 80 bodies remain unidentified.
This devastating incident occurred on Friday evening in Odisha state, involving two passenger trains and a stationary goods train.
More than 1,000 injured individuals were transported to hospitals for medical care, while numerous families continue their search for missing loved ones.
Regrettably, this calamitous collision stands as the most severe railway accident in India during the current century.
As stated by Odisha's chief secretary Pradeep Jen on Tuesday, the confirmed death toll from the tragic incident has now risen to 288, surpassing the previous figure of 275. Additionally, there are still 83 bodies that remain unidentified.
The collision occurred when a passenger train mistakenly entered a loop track adjacent to the main line, causing it to derail and collide with a stationary goods train that was positioned there. Consequently, the derailed carriages struck the rear coaches of another passenger train traveling in the opposite direction.
It is estimated that over 3,000 passengers were on board the two trains, and according to reports, both trains were fully crowded.
Distressed relatives of passengers from Odisha and various other states are filling hospitals, desperately seeking updates about their loved ones. However, in certain instances, identifying the deceased has become an arduous task.
Muhammad Nizamuddin faced the heartbreaking situation of being unable to claim the bodies of his grandsons at the Balasore District Hospital in Odisha.
Tafsir Ansari, aged 16, and his brother Tausif, aged 13, were passengers on the ill-fated Coromandel Express when it was involved in an accident.
As their father remains missing, the hospital projected photographs of the teenagers, along with those of numerous other victims, on a wall. Tafsir was identified with the tag number 20, while Tausif was labeled as 169, in the hopes that their grieving family members would recognize them.
Despite the boys' disfigured faces caused by injuries, their grandfather confidently recognized them. Determined to proceed, he embarked on a journey to the state capital, Bhubaneshwar, where four hospitals housed nearly 100 unclaimed bodies. However, upon reaching there, an official intervened and prevented him from proceeding further.
The official conveyed the unfortunate news that Tafsir's body had already been claimed by another family. Regrettably, the handover process to the rightful family had not yet taken place.
Mr. Nizamuddin, overwhelmed with distress, exclaimed, "How can this be? Are you suggesting that I won't be able to recognize my own grandchildren?"
He has now been instructed to contact the civic officials in Bhubaneshwar responsible for verifying claims, examining identification documents, and ensuring that proper measures are taken to reunite the body with the correct family.
According to Bhubaneshwar Municipal Corporation Commissioner Vijay Amruta Kulange, if you browse through the photo database, you will notice that numerous bodies have suffered severe damage and are no longer recognizable. Furthermore, due to the passage of time, they are now decomposing.
In situations where multiple families have laid claim to a body, DNA testing is being conducted to assist in the identification process, stated the commissioner. He also mentioned that unidentified bodies would be held at the hospital morgue for the following ten days. Furthermore, he assured that the government would not rush the cremation or burial of these bodies.
Over the weekend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a visit to the crash site and expressed a strong commitment to ensuring strict punishment for anyone found responsible.
The rescue operations concluded on Saturday, and the wreckage on the tracks had been successfully cleared. Train services have already been reinstated on one of the lines, and officials confirmed that the remaining lines would also be restored and operational by Wednesday.
India boasts one of the world's most extensive railway networks, operating over 12,000 passenger trains on a daily basis. Annually, billions of passengers rely on these trains to traverse the country. However, significant improvements are required to enhance the railway infrastructure.
During school holidays, trains tend to be heavily crowded, reflecting the increasing number of people undertaking journeys at this time of year.
The most catastrophic train incident in the country's history occurred in 1981. A cyclone in Bihar state resulted in an overcrowded passenger train being derailed and plunged into a river, claiming the lives of approximately 800 individuals.
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