Odisha train accident latest: Death toll at 288 as minister says locals saved over 1,000 lives

A railways official who was part of the five-member inquiry committee which conducted a preliminary investigation has disagreed with its findings.

Senior section engineer AK Mahanta was among the committee that conducted a spot inquiry that concluded that a signalling error had caused the accident.

However, in his one-page dissenting note, he referred to a “datalogger report” to claim that the signal was green for the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express to take the main line and not the loop line.

The powerful triple collision took place on Friday after the high-speed passenger train packed with commuters was wrongly directed to a loop track where a freight train was already stationed, railway officials said, citing the preliminary report.“I did not agree … which mentions that point No. 174 was found set for Up Loop line,” Mr Mahanta said.

Based on the observation from the datalogger report, point 17 was set for the normal side(main line), he continued.

“It may be reverse after the derailment,” he added, potentially hinting at a cover-up.

He claimed that the derailment occurred ahead of the level crossing gate, suggesting that the incident took place before the train switched to the loop line.

India’s deadliest train crash this century was caused by “deliberate interference” with a “fail-proof” electronic system, according to the country’s railway officials.

A probe into the accident was handed to the country’s premier investigating agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which will examine if the derailment happened from criminal negligence or sabotage.

Top railways officials claim there is clear evidence of deliberate tampering with the electronic signalling system.

A preliminary investigation by India’s railways ministry identified “signal failure” as the root cause of the accident.

Ministry officials conducting the initial probe spoke anonymously to the Times of India and found “deliberate interference” with the interlocking system operated from a cabin at the Bahanaga Bazar station that oversees the stretch of track.

All the unidentified bodies have been moved to the AIIMS hospital in Bhubaneswar, East Coast Railway announced on Wednesday.

Over 80 bodies are yet to be identified, officials said.

A helpdesk has been established at the hospital to help the relatives of the victims, while the state forensic laboratory conducts DNA tests on those claiming to identify the severely mutilated bodies.

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday said locals were the first responders who swung into action immediately after the crash and saved over 1,000 lives.

People providing support to rescue operations and the long queues for blood donation are “sights rare but invaluable”, he said.

“Doctors, medical students, general public, and all had one thing in mind – let’s save [lives], as many as we can. And we have saved more than a thousand lives,” Mr Patnaik said, adding: “I am proud of my people. I am proud of Odisha.”

Mr Patnaik sanctioned Rs195m (£190,133) for compensation payment to the families of 39 dead persons from Odisha.

The death toll in the fatal Odisha train crash was revised for the fourth time on Tuesday.

Odisha chief secretary PK Jena said after the verification of bodies, the toll was raised to 288.

At least 205 bodies have been identified and handed over to their families, Mr Jena told reporters.