UPDATE: India’s worst-ever train accident blamed on faulty ‘electronic interlocking’ by minister

UPDATE: Sunday, June 4 at 4:15 pm

The current death toll from the horrific train crash in India stands at 288, with more than 1000 people hospitalised, according to the Hindustan Times this Sunday, June 4, citing railway officials.

Restoration work is ongoing at Warfooting at train accident site in Balasore, Odisha with 1000+ Manpower working tirelessly. At present, more than 7 Poclain Machines, 2 Accident Relief Trains, 3-4 Railway and Road Cranes have been deployed for early restoration. pic.twitter.com/ufidrkvBwl

— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) June 3, 2023

Speaking today, Ashwini Vaishnaw, India’s railway minister blamed the disaster on a change in electronic interlocking, following an initial report that said faulty signalling could be to blame.

The true cause of the accident will be known until a full enquiry has taken place. Meanwhile, maintenance teams are said to be working around the clock to clear the wreckage and restore the railway connection.

ओडिशा ट्रेन हादसा: यातायात बहाल करने का कार्य प्रगति पर है। pic.twitter.com/cvlbn5nhzA

— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) June 3, 2023

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UPDATE: Saturday, June 3 at 2:10 pm

As reported in an update from the Hindustan Times this Saturday, June 3, the death toll has now increased to 233. More than 900 people have also been taken to various hospitals in the region.

According to ANI, one day of state mourning has been declared by Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin.

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UPDATE: Friday, June 2 at 11:59 pm

The death toll in the train crash in India has risen to 120 people according to the Hindustan Times this evening, Friday, June 2.

More than 800 passengers are said to have suffered injuries. A huge rescue operation is expected to continue through the night with many people still feared trapped in the derailed cars.

A full inquiry into the incident has been requested by Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Railways Minister to UNI. “I have given out an order to conduct a high-level probe to find out why this accident happened…it is important to get to the root cause”, he said.

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Friday, June 2 at 7:01 pm

According to reports coming out of India, at least 50 people are feared to have died in a train crash that occurred near Balasore in the eastern state of Odisha.

Another 350 passengers are said to have suffered injuries in the horrific incident that occurred at around 7:10 pm local time this Friday, June 2. A freight train and two passenger trains were involved in the crash near the station of Bahanaga Bazaar.

At least 60 ambulances are said to have been deployed to the location to transfer the injured to a hospital in Balasore and also the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, reported hindustantimes.com.

Between 10 and 12 coaches of the 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express derailed near Baleswar and fell on the opposite track, Amitabh Sharma, a railway spokesperson told the news outlet.

The Coromandel Express was on its way to Chennai Central Station from Shalimar Station near Kolkata at the time of the accident.

After the first train derailed, the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express that was travelling from Yeswanthpur to Howrah ran into the derailed cars resulting in three to four of its bogies also leaving the tracks. Then, a freight train ran into the first two.

BREAKING: Passenger train derails in eastern India, killing multiple people and injuring nearly 200 pic.twitter.com/nMBw9jb8K9

— BNO News (@BNONews) June 2, 2023

At least 300 passengers have already been evacuated from the train. Around 179 of them have been hospitalised. According to officials at the site, there are still between 600 and 700 passengers still trapped inside the wreckage.

Droupadi Murmu, the secretary for the President of India tweeted on his official profile: “Deeply anguished to know about the loss of lives in an unfortunate rail accident in Balasore, Odisha. My heart goes out to the bereaved families. I pray for the success of rescue operations and quick recovery of the injured”.

Deeply anguished to know about the loss of lives in an unfortunate rail accident in Balasore, Odisha. My heart goes out to the bereaved families. I pray for the success of rescue operations and quick recovery of the injured.

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 2, 2023

“Distressed by the train accident in Odisha. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to Railway Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw and took stock of the situation. Rescue ops are underway at the site of the mishap and all possible assistance is being given to those affected”, tweeted the Indian PM, Narendra Modi.

Distressed by the train accident in Odisha. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to Railway Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw and took stock of the situation. Rescue ops are underway at the site of the mishap and all…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 2, 2023