The grim aftermath of a triple train disaster near Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Odisha continues to haunt, as 23 passengers' remains remain unclaimed and unidentified even after three months. According to an official statement on Monday, these bodies have been preserved in special freezers at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, with the potential for further preservation.
Dilip Parida, the medical superintendent of the hospital, expressed a somber sentiment, stating that they believe no more claimants will come forward, as a stark silence has persisted for the last 10 days regarding these unclaimed souls. Parida further mentioned that the bodies are awaiting instructions for transfer to the CBI, which has taken over the case, PTI reported.
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AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, received a total of 162 bodies in two phases. However, a staggering 28 of them remain unidentified, with no one stepping forward to claim them. Parida noted that the hospital had initially handed over bodies to the rightful claimants after DNA cross-matching at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Delhi. Nevertheless, the fate of these 28 unclaimed bodies now hinges on further instructions from the railway ministry.
In the quest to identify the victims, more than 100 DNA samples were sent for genetic testing, underscoring the magnitude of the tragedy. This disaster, which unfolded on June 2 near Bahanaga Bazar station in Odisha's Balasore district, involved the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express, a stationary goods train, and the Yesvantpur-Howrah Express. The incident resulted in a devastating toll, with at least 295 lives lost and over 1200 people injured, marking it as one of the nation's most tragic mishaps.
