CBI begins Balasore train probe, collects first-hand report; accident toll at 278

Bhubaneswar: A 10-member CBI team, which is in Odisha to probe the triple train accident, inspected the tracks, signal room and talked to railway officials at Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district on Tuesday.

The CBI probe was recommended by the Railway Board on Sunday.

A forensics team, which is accompanying the CBI officials, also spoke to signal room employees and sought information about the functioning of different equipment.

The CBI will probe criminal angles into the accident as the Railways suspect sabotage and outside intervention behind the accident.

Khurda Road Division DRM Rinkesh Roy had suspected 'physical tampering' of the signaling system. The Central agency had taken over Balasore GRP case No. 64 registered by Odisha Police on June 3, a day after the accident.

"The CBI will probe all aspects. It is gathering information and the Railways will extend full cooperation," said South Eastern Railway chief public relations officer Aditya Choudhury.

On Monday, the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety, SE Circle, Shailesh Kumar Pathak had visited the spot and spoke to people about the accident as part of his probe.

The reason behind the accident will be known after completion of investigations by CBI and CCRS, an official said, adding that the GRP in Balasore had registered an FIR and is also probing into the accident.

The Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary goods train, derailing most of its coaches at 7 pm on June 2.

Three more die, death toll at 278

On Tuesday, Railways put the official death toll in the Odisha triple train crash at 278, stating that three more people have succumbed to their injuries, and over 1,200 injured in the June 2 triple train crash.

On the state government's toll remaining at 275, Khurda Road Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Rinkesh Ray said, "Figures do change with time." The toll was earlier put at 288, which the state government revised to 275 on Sunday, claiming some bodies were counted twice."

Of the 278 bodies, 177 have been identified while 101 more are yet to be identified and these unclaimed bodies have been kept in six different hospitals.

Roy said the Railways has deployed people in states such as Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to locate any missing person. He said the bodies will be preserved in a scientific manner.

Inputs from PTI