Four months after a train accident in Odisha’s Balasore district that caused the death of 297 people, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken steps to address the disposal of 28 unidentified bodies. The BMC has introduced a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to scientifically manage the remains of these individuals. The bodies will be handed over to the corporation in the presence of CBI officials and will be cremated on Tuesday.
The BMC initiated this procedure after the CBI requested the organized disposal of these bodies using scientific methods. Since the incident in June, the bodies had been stored at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. The BMC will now coordinate the transportation of these bodies to designated cremation grounds within the city.
The bodies will be officially handed over to the BMC health officer by the AIIMS Bhubaneswar director, following the rules and guidelines established by the state, Central government, and National Human Rights Commission. The entire process will be documented through video recording to ensure transparency.
Out of a total of 162 bodies received by AIIMS Bhubaneswar as a result of the train accident, 81 were already given to the families of the deceased and 53 were identified through DNA testing and returned to their families. However, 28 bodies remained unclaimed.
The triple train accident involved the Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Super Fast Express, and a goods train. It occurred when the Coromandel Express collided with a stationary goods train, causing the derailment of multiple coaches near the Bahanaga Bazar station. Coaches from the Coromandel Express also impacted the last few coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Express.
