Death toll in Orissa train mishap scaled down to 9

Jajpur Road (Orissa), Feb 14 (PTI) Nine bodies were
recovered from the mangled bogies of the Howrah-Chennai
Coromondel express which derailed near here in India's eastern
state of Orissa as railway workers Saturday stepped up salvage
operations to restore traffic on the busy line.

Railways, which scaled down the death toll to nine from
their earlier figure of 16, have ordered a high level inquiry
into the accident that took place Friday evening when the
train derailed while changing tracks near here.

"Though the death toll was earlier put at 16 on the basis
of preliminary assessment, only nine bodies were recovered
when search for mangled bodies at the mishap site was
completed," Indian Minister of State for Railways R Velu told
reporters after visiting the accident site near here.

About possible reason for the mishap, Velu said it could
be technical, human error or any other factor. "At this stage
it is difficult to guess the exact cause. We are reviewing the
entire matter," he said.

A senior Railway official said all the mangled coaches
were thoroughly searched after they were opened with the help
of gas cutters and sophisticated equipment and "chances of
more passengers or bodies still trapped is remote."

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who visited the
site of the mishap, asked authorities to probe the accident
and promised medical help to the injured.
Though initial reports said about 160 people were
injured in the mishap, Velu said only 45 passengers were now
admitted to various hospitals where the condition of six was
stated to be critical. The rest were discharged after first
aid.
About 650 stranded passengers of the train were sent
to their respective destinations by a special relief train
bound for Chennai this morning. Arrangements have been made to
provide them all necessities including food, railway officials
said.

Though darkness affected rescue work for some time,
the site was lit up after sometime with the help of station
staff and people from a yatra being staged nearby, they said.

As many people from nearby villages had lined up to
see the derailed bogies, salvage work at the site was affected
for about one hour in the morning.

Velu said skilled manpower and machinery of the
railways and other agencies were working on a war footing to
clear the track and restore normal train traffic on the busy
route within 48 hours.

While heavy machinery including special cranes were
brought from Kharagpur for the job, teams of Orissa Disaster
Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) armed with sophisticated machines
and equipment had also joined the salvage operation.

A high-level probe into the accident would be
conducted by Commissioner of Railway Safety and the report
would be submitted within seven days, the minister said. PTI