Odisha train crash: Families awaiting bodies suffer, 81 still unidentified despite DNA sampling

Nearly four weeks after the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express, Howrah-bound SMVP-Howrah Superfast Express and a goods train were involved in a deadly accident near Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district on June 2, dozens of families are still waiting for the remains of their loved ones killed in the crash.

Bhubaneswar: Almost a month after the tragic train incident that claimed the lives of nearly 300 individuals in Odisha, the anguish and suffering of the families affected by the June 2 mishap seems to have no respite as they continue to wait for the bodies of their loved ones.

Basanti Devi, hailing from Bari-Ballia village in Bihar's Begusarai district, has been staying at a secluded guest house near AIIMS for the past 10 days, desperately trying to claim her husband's remains. Expressing her grief, she tearfully spoke of her husband Yogendra Paswan, a contract labourer who lost his life in the accident at Bahanaga Bazar while returning home on the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express.

She lamented the fact that the officials have not provided any definite timeline for the release of her husband's body. While some officials suggested a wait of five more days, others hinted that it might take even longer. She expressed her frustration at the lack of clarity from the administration.

"I have five children. I have left three behind and brought two of my sons with me. My husband was the sole provider for our family. I don't know how I will manage to survive," she added, her voice filled with despair. Narayan Rishidev from Purnia shares a similar plight, as he has been waiting since June 4 to claim the body of his grandson Suraj Kumar, who was traveling on the ill-fated Coromandel Express to Chennai.

Suraj, who had recently completed his matriculation, was heading to Chennai in search of employment opportunities. Rishidev mentioned that the authorities have already taken his DNA sample, but they are yet to receive the results. Shivkant Roy from Cooch Behar district in West Bengal recounted the ordeal of searching for his son Vipul, who was returning home from Tirupati for his upcoming wedding at the end of June.

"My son's body was kept at KIMS Hospital, but I was mistakenly searching for him in a hospital in Balasore. Later, I was informed that KIMS Hospital had handed the body over to someone from Bihar, who took it back and performed the last rites," Shivkant Roy told PTI. Similarly, Rajkali Devi from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, is still waiting for the body of her husband, who was en route to Chennai.

Currently, 35 individuals are residing at the guest house, while 15 others have returned home due to the delay in receiving the DNA reports. Despite attempts to contact AIIMS director Ashutosh Biswas, calls and messages went unanswered. A railway official mentioned that they are urging claimants to provide their DNA samples, acting as a liaison between AIIMS and the state government.

Meanwhile, the identities of 81 bodies preserved in three containers at Bhubaneswar AIIMS are yet to be determined. So far, 84 families have submitted their DNA samples. The tragic accident near Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district on June 2 involved the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express, Howrah-bound SMVP-Howrah Superfast Express, and a goods train, resulting in the loss of over 290 lives. (Agency inputs)