Coromandel express accident: South Eastern Railway puts toll at 238, more feared dead

HYDERABAD: The South Eastern Railway (SER) headquartered at Kolkata has confirmed 238 casualties in the gory railway accident involving three trains near Bahanaga Bazar Railway Station in Odisha of Kharagpur division on Friday evening.

The SER declared that 650 passengers were injured and they were all shifted to various hospitals in Gopalpur, Khantapara, Balasore, Bhadrak and Soro. Accident relief trains with medical equipment, doctors, and paramedics were rushed to the accident site from Kharagpur and Bhadrak.

According to an SER statement, the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express (12841), and Sir Visveswaraya Howrah Superfast train (12864) had derailed near Bahanaga at 6.55 pm on Friday. A special train was rushed to evacuate stranded passengers from different stations to Howrah. Water, tea, and food items were provided to passengers at Kharagpur and Howrah stations.

Meanwhile, the railway officials in Andhra Pradesh were frantically trying to ascertain the accurate number of Telugu passengers traveling in both the ill-fated trains. The 70 passengers who got into the 12841 train at Shalimar, Kharagpur, and Baleswar stations were supposed to get down at Rajamahendravaram, Vijayawada, and Eluru.

On the other hand, the Visveswaraya Express had passed through Tirupati, Renigunta, Gudur,Nellore, Ongole, Chirala, Bapatla, Tenali, Vijayawada, Eluru, Tadepalligudem, Rajamahendravaram, Samarlakota, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam road and Palasa stations. At least 52 Telugu passengers were on the train with confirmed reservations.

The teams of AP were enquiring their details.