Kolkata, (Samajweekly) A preliminary report prepared by the West Bengal government has suggested that 31 people who are domiciles of the state have died following the derailment of several coaches of Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express train near the Bahanaga railway station in Odisha’s Balasore district on Friday evening, which left 288 people dead and over 800 injured.
The report also suggests that a total 544 domiciles of West Bengal were injured in the mishap, the state secretariat informed. Out of the injured persons from West Bengal, 25 are under treatment at a hospital in Odisha while 11 are being treated at a hospital in West Bengal.
A press communique issued by the state secretariat claimed that till 12 noon on Saturday, as many 70 ambulances and a team of 34 doctors have been sent to the accident spot for rescue and treatment purposes.
The West Bengal government has also sent 10 buses to the spot to bring back the passengers from Balasore. Medical relief has been sent by 20 mini-trucks from West Bengal, the communique said.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress’ national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has announced that Rs 2,00,000 will be handed over the family members of each of the deceased on behalf of the party.
This will be in addition to the amount of Rs 5,00,000 announced by state government earlier in the day.
