Odisha train accident: Most deaths from Sundarbans areas

Kolkata (IANS) | Most of the casualties in the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express train derailment in Odisha’s Balasore district are from West Bengal and most of them are from the Sundarbans region of South 24 Parganas district. According to preliminary reports from the state secretariat, of the total 31 casualties, who were residents of West Bengal, 19 are from South 24 Parganas district. Of those 19, 14 casualties were reported from the Sundarbans region.

This is according to a report by the state secretariat till 12 midnight on Saturday. According to the state government report, the maximum number of injured in the accident from West Bengal was only from South 24 Parganas.

Of the total 544 injured in the state, 105 are from South 24 Parganas.

The total number of missing persons from the district has been recorded at 41 so far.

A total of 30 people from South 24 Parganas have returned safely.

A press release issued from the state secretariat also claimed that till 12 noon on Saturday, 70 ambulances and a team of 34 doctors were sent to the accident site for rescue and treatment. The West Bengal government also sent 10 buses to the spot to bring back passengers from the state. Medical relief was sent by 20 mini trucks from West Bengal, the press release said.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has announced that the party will give Rs 2,00,000 to the family members of each casualty.

This is in addition to the state government’s Rs 5,00,000 amount announced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.