Train Stopped in Odisha after smoke emanates from coach

The Secunderabad-Agartala Express was halted at Odisha’s Brahmapur railway station on Tuesday after smoke emanated from an air conditioning unit inside the train. 

The smoke emanated in the B-5 coach of the train. The passengers noticed the smoke in the train and immediately notified railway officials. The smoke was contained immediately. 

The passengers reportedly got off the train, refusing to reboard, an official informed NDTV. They demanded a replacement for the coach out of fear of electrical malfunctions.

"It was reported that a minor electrical issue occurred in the coach no. B-5 of Secunderabad-Agartala Express near Brahmapur station. The staff on duty attended to the issue immediately and rectified it," an East Coast Railway official said.

The train mishap occurred at an unfortunate time, with Odisha still recovering from its triple train tragedy. The crash involving Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train occurred at around 7 pm on June 2 near the Bahanga Bazar station in Odisha’s Balasore.

The Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express carried over 2,500 passengers at the time of the incident. At least 275 people lost their lives, and over 1,100 have been injured in the accident.  

Initial investigations into the crash revealed that a signal was given to Coromandel Express to enter the main line, but it was taken off, and the train entered the loop line and crashed into a goods train parked there.

Following the initial investigations, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw suggested that the Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the tragic triple train accident. 

The horrific tragedy also spawned rumours of communal colours, with opportunists jumping at the chance to paint a communal angle at the accident. The Odisha police took notice of rumour-mongers and appealed to the people to “desist from circulating the ill-motivated posts”. They warned of strict action should the people indulge in spreading rumours and creating communal disharmony.