Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren expresses grief over deaths in Odisha train accident

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday expressed grief over the death of 238 people in a train accident in Odisha’s Balasore district.

He wished the speedy recovery of those injured in the accident that occurred on Friday evening.

“Deeply pained by the heartbreaking Coromandel Express train accident near Bahanaga railway station in Balasore district of Odisha. May God give peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved family members to bear these difficult hours of grief. I wish speedy recovery of those injured in the accident,” Soren wrote on Twitter.

At least 238 people were killed and over 900 injured in the train crash involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train.

Also Read: Toll in Odisha train tragedy rises to 261, rescue operations complete

Rescuers worked throughout the night to pull out survivors and the deceased from the mangled steel of the three trains that derailed one on top of another in a horrific sequence.

The train crash, the fourth deadliest in India according to available records, happened near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district, about 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar, around 7 pm on Friday, prompting the Railway Ministry to order a probe.

In the wake of the tragic incident, Jharkhand BJP has postponed all its programmes on Saturday, a party leader said.

"The train accident in Odisha is painful. Praying to God for the speedy recovery of the injured,” senior BJP leader and former Jharkhand chief minister Babulal Marandi wrote on the microblogging site.