Balasore triple train tragedy: Unclaimed dead bodies create space problems in Odisha's morgues

Odisha is reportedly facing a morgue crunch as a large number of unclaimed dead bodies from Balasore's triple train accident, have piled up at its mortuaries.

The Odisha government, which is unable to cope with the large numbers, has shifted 187 of them to Bhubaneswar from Balasore, a district headquarters town, news agency PTI reported.

However, there is a space crunch in Bhubaneswar as well. "It is a real challenge for us too, to preserve the bodies here as we have a facility to keep a maximum of 40 bodies," an official of AIIMS Bhubaneswar told PTI, adding that additional arrangements were made at the Anatomy department.

At least 275 people were killed and around 1,100 were injured in a horrific three-train collision in Odisha's Balasore on Friday. The crash involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw explained the incident took place due to change electronic interlocking.

The authorities at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar have procured coffins, ice and formalin chemicals to preserve the bodies till they are identified.

On Saturday, state government officials drew the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards the situation created to preserve the bodies in the state during his visit to train accident site on Saturday.

It is really difficult to keep bodies in this hot summer weather condition, an official said.

Odisha rail tragedy: Mallikarjun Kharge slams PM

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was busy flagging off trains while not paying attention to railway safety.

He called for fixing accountability of all posts from top to bottom to prevent such incidents in future.

In a series of tweets, Kharge posed questions to the Modi government and alleged that "PR gimmicks" have made the working system of the dispensation "hollow".

Also Read: Odisha train crash: A signalling error, change in electronic interlocking likely the root cause, initial reports suggest

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