Odisha train mishap: All 110 passengers from Kalasa taluk safe

All 110 passengers from Kalasa taluk, who were travelling in the ill-fated Bengaluru-Howrah
Superfast Express (12864), are safe.

A total of 110 people from Kalasa, Horanadu and Samse were on their way to Shikharji, one of the holy pilgrim sites of the Jains.

They had left Bengaluru on June 1.

Also Read | Toll in Odisha train tragedy rises to 288, rescue operations complete

Tension prevailed in Kalasa following the news of the tragic three-train accident in Odisha, that left hundreds of people dead.

The Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and a goods train were involved in the accident at Balasore in Odisha.

People heaved a sigh of relief after contacting the passengers, who had left for pilgrimage with the support of Mahima Sagara Muni.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Roopa B R said, “All the 110 passengers were travelling together and have been contacted.”

Shesharaj Jain, who was part of the team, said, “We were travelling in the last four bogies of the train till Visakhapatnam. With the change in the train engine, bogies situated in the back came front. As a result, we are safe.”

He said that all had reached Kolkata in bus on Saturday and would reach Shikharji on Sunday.

Sarvodaya Thirtha Committee President Brahmadev said that the safety of all the pilgrims was the result their of good deeds.