Odisha train tragedy: Unidentified bodies to be preserved in containers

Bhubaneswar: The authorities of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar have decided to keep the unidentified and unclaimed bodies of Balasore train accident victims in containers.

The hospital authorities have arranged five containers from Paradip, sources said.

Altogether 123 bodies had been shifted to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar from the accident site near Bahanaga railway station soon after the completion of the rescue operation, sources said.

The bodies were kept at the morgue and Anatomy department of the premier healthcare institute. “The authorities have so far handed over 43 bodies to their family members. They are yet to identify the remaining 80 bodies,” said an official.

“We are facing difficulties to keep so many bodies in our morgue. As per the direction of the Union Health Minister, we have arranged five big containers from Paradip. We can preserve the bodies in the containers for around two months,” said AIIMS Director Ashutosh Biswas.

Sources, meanwhile, claimed that the state government and Railway authorities are yet to identify the bodies of as many as 105 victims of Balasore train accident.

“The mishap has claimed the lives of 275 passengers. We have so far identified the bodies of 170 deceased passengers. The bodies are being handed over to their family members and relatives,” said Chief Secretary PK Jena today.