Odisha train accident latest updates: Death toll revised to 275 from 288; Odisha CM briefs PM Modi about treatment of injured

At least 275 people were dead and over 1,100 injured in the train accident, involving Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, which were carrying around 2,500 passengers, and a goods train near the Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore, Odisha. The tragedy occurred around 7 pm on Friday.  

As per the preliminary probe report, the signal was given and taken off for the up main line for train number 12841 (Coromandel Express). The train entered the loop line, dashed with the goods train, and derailed. In the meantime, train number 12864 (Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express) passed through the down main line and two of its coaches derailed and capsized.

Check out the latest updates on the Odisha train accident here:

Root cause of the mishap identified

The root cause of the three-train crash in Odisha's Balasore district has been identified and the affected tracks will be restored for normal services by Wednesday, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Sunday. He said the issue is of point machines and electronic interlocking.

Odisha train accident: Govt says status of 8 Tamil Nadu people unknown

Of the 127 people hailing from Tamil Nadu who had reserved tickets in the Coromandel Express, contact could not be established with eight people and the rest were safe, the state government said on Sunday. As per information received so far on the train accident, no person from Tamil Nadu was killed or injured warranting treatment.

PIL filed in Supreme Court seeking a probe in the Balasore train accident

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a probe into the Balasore train accident by an expert panel headed by a retired judge of the top court. The PIL also seeks guidelines/directions for the implementation of the Automatic Train Protection (ATP) System called KAVACH Protection System in Indian Railways with immediate effect to ensure public safety.

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik briefs PM on latest situation

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone and briefed him about the latest train accident situation, particularly the treatment of injured passengers. Noting that doctors, medical students, and other health care service providers are doing their best, Patnaik told the prime minister that all possible steps have been taken to save the lives of injured passengers in different hospitals of Odisha.

NDRF jawan on leave sent 1st accident alert, 'live location'

An on-leave NDRF jawan travelling on the Coromandel Express was perhaps the first person to alert emergency services about the train's accident in Odisha's Balasore before he joined initial rescue efforts, officials said. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) jawan Venkatesh N K was on leave and travelling from Howrah in West Bengal to Tamil Nadu. He had a narrow escape as his coach B-7, though derailed, did not collide with coaches ahead of it, the officials said. He was in a third AC coach and his seat number was 58.

The 39-year-old constable, posted with the NDRF's 2nd battalion in Kolkata, first called his senior inspector in the battalion to inform him about the accident. He then sent some pictures and the "live location" of the site on WhatsApp to the NDRF control room, and this was used by the first rescue teams to reach the spot, they said.

Also Read: Odisha train accident happened due to electronic interlocking, has nothing to do with Kavach: Ashwini Vaishnaw