Balasore Train Tragedy: 19 Bihar Passengers Still Missing, Death Toll at 50

Patna: A devastating train accident occurred in Odisha’s Balasore district on June 2, resulting in the unfortunate loss of 288 lives. Among those killed, at least 50 people were from Bihar, while 43 others sustained injuries. The Disaster Management Department (DMD) of Bihar has reported that 19 passengers from Bihar onboard the Coromandel Express are still missing. The state government is actively engaged in providing assistance to the affected passengers and coordinating with the authorities in Odisha.

According to the statement issued by the Bihar Disaster Management Department, the missing passengers from Bihar include individuals from various districts. Among them are four from Madhubani, two each from Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, and Samastipur, and one each from Sitamarhi, Patna, Gaya, Purnea, Sheikhpura, Siwan, and Begusarai. The department is working closely with the Odisha government to ascertain the identity of the bodies of unidentified passengers who lost their lives in the accident.

Tragically, the train accident claimed the lives of 50 people from Bihar, with the highest number of casualties reported from Muzaffarpur (9), Madhubani (6), and Bhagalpur (7). Other districts affected include East Champaran, Purnea, West Champaran, Nawada, Darbhanga, Jamui, Samastipur, Banka, Begusarai, Gaya, Khagaria, Sharsha, Sitamarhi, and Munger. Additionally, 43 individuals from Bihar sustained injuries during the incident.

To aid in the identification process, DNA samples of 12 individuals from Bihar were collected and will be compared with the samples from the unidentified bodies. The Bihar government has dispatched a team of officials to Balasore to extend necessary assistance to the affected passengers from the state.

The Bihar government is actively collaborating with the Odisha government, Railways, and the Balasore district administration to provide essential aid to the affected passengers from Bihar. Efforts are also underway to facilitate the safe return of the affected passengers to Bihar, with 88 individuals already brought back by bus, as per the latest update from the DMD.

The tragic incident occurred when the Coromandel Express collided with a stationary goods train, causing a derailment of several coaches. This collision also led to some coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Express toppling over. The accident resulted in the loss of 288 lives and left more than 1,200 people injured.