Odisha Train Accident: 29 Bodies Await Identification At AIIMS-Bhubaneswar

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Bhubaneswar: Almost 2 months after the horrific triple train accident in Odisha’s Balasore district, 29 bodies of the victims are still being preserved in containers at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar.

The hospital authorities on Tuesday informed that the health facility had received 162 bodies and 81 were handed over to their family members in the first phase. “Due to multiple claimants and a few other issues, DNA samples of bodies as well as claimants were sent to New Delhi for matching. On the basis of DNA test results, 52 more bodies were despatched to their families.”

There are 29 more bodies and those will be mostly unclaimed if DNA samples do not match, it added.

AIIMS-Bhubaneswar had procured at least five deep freezer containers from Paradip Port to prevent further decay of the mortal remains of the deceased.

In July, 29 of 81 remaining bodies were identified through DNA testing and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) cremated mortal remains of two victims – Dinesh Yadav (31) from Jharkhand and Suresh Ray (23) from Bihar – at the Satya Nagar crematorium here after family members expressed reluctance to take the bodies considering the long journey.

The June 2 train crash, involving Chennai-bound Coromandel Express from Shalimar, Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and a stationary goods train, claimed 293 lives with six passengers succumbing to injuries while undergoing treatment in past few days.