Odisha Train Accident: Death Toll Rises to 278

The official death toll in the Odisha triple train crash increased to 278 with three more people succumbing to their injuries. The Indian Railways said that apart from 278 deaths, 1,100 people were injured in the June 2 Balasore train crash. The toll was earlier put at 288, which the Odisha government revised to 275 on Sunday, claiming some bodies were counted twice.

Khurda Road Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Rinkesh Ray said that of the 278 bodies, 177 have been identified while 101 more are yet to be identified and that the unclaimed bodies have been kept in six different hospitals. He also said that of the 1,100 injured, less than 200 are undergoing treatment in various hospitals. 

Ray informed that the Railways deployed officials in Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu to locate any missing person.

A 10-member CBI team on Monday visited the Balasore train accident site and began its probe into the triple train crash. In accordance with the procedure, the CBI will take over the Balasore GRP case number 64 registered by Odisha Police on June 3, official sources said, adding it is likely to be allotted to Special Crime Unit at the Delhi Headquarters.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had announced on Sunday that a CBI probe had been recommended into the accident.

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