Odisha train accident: Former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav demanded a high-level inquiry

Patna: Former Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on Saturday demanded a high-level inquiry into the train accident in Odisha’s Balasore in which at least 261 people were killed when three trains collided. Alleging negligence, in an apparent reference to the BJP-led central government, without naming him, Yadav said, “The way they showed negligence and did not show vigilance led to such a large number of casualties”.

The RJD chief said, “There should be a high-level inquiry into it and action should be taken against those responsible for it… There was gross negligence. They have ruined the railways.” According to the railways, 261 people died in the three-way accident that took place on Friday evening. The injured have been taken to hospitals in Gopalpur, Khantapara, Balasore, Bhadrak and Soro.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting on the Odisha train accident in the national capital. The enormity of the accident was evident from the visuals at the accident site, with some coaches thrown off the tracks, crushed or mutilated, and passengers’ belongings strewn about.

According to the preliminary report released on Saturday by the State Emergency Operation Center of Odisha’s Special Relief Commissioner in Bhubaneswar, the accident took place around 7 pm at Bahanaga Bazar station in Odisha’s Balasore district. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said that the rescue operation has been completed and the restoration work has started.

“The rescue operation has been completed and the restoration work has started. We will thoroughly investigate the incident and ensure that such incidents do not happen in future,” he said. In view of the accident, a day’s mourning has been declared in Odisha.