Indian officials confirmed on the 3rd local time that at least 288 people were killed and more than 800 were injured in the train derailment and collision accident in the eastern Indian state of Odisha on the evening of the 2nd, some of whom were seriously injured.
A number of Indian media outlets quoted official sources from Odisha State on the 3rd as saying that the on-site search and rescue work has basically ended and the work has turned to cleaning and resuming operations. The derailed train’s carriages are being removed from the tracks. Indian Prime Minister Modi went to the scene of the accident on March 3. He said that the government will try its best to provide treatment for the injured, and those responsible for the accident will be severely punished.
According to Indian media reports, India’s official preliminary investigation report showed that the accident was likely caused by a railway signal error. The Indian government has appointed a safety commissioner outside the Ministry of Railways to conduct an independent third-party investigation.
On the evening of the 2nd local time, a passenger train from Kolkata to Chennai was passing through the Balasore area of Odisha, and some of the carriages derailed and rushed into the opposite track. Later, another passenger train travelling in the opposite direction rammed into the derailed carriages, eventually derailing or severely damaging a total of 17 carriages.
According to Indian media reports, the carriage of the first derailed passenger train also crashed into a freight train. However, no official statement has been made on the condition of the freight train.
