Balasore (Odisha): People from all walks of life congregated at Bahanaga in Odisha's Balasore district on Sunday, the 10th day of the train accident, to pray for the speedy recovery of the injured and Mukti' (salvation) of 288 who lost their lives in the June 2 crash.
Apart from villagers, people who retrieved the bodies and rescued the injured from the ill-fated Coromandel Express and Bengaluru-Howrah trains performed mundan (head tonsuring) as per Hindu death rituals.
Social and cultural activists and members of spiritual organisations also participated in the memorial service being held for three days near the premises of Bahanaga High School, where bodies were kept before being shifted to Bhubaneswar. People from Soro block comprising Bahanaga town organised the service and an all-faith prayer meeting to pay homage to the deceased. Biswa Shanti Maha Yajna', Astaprahari Nama Sankirtan', Akhanda Gayatri Mantra' will be performed on the 11th day on Monday and a Satsang' and candle light march are scheduled on Tuesday, Jaykrushna Sarandi, a member of the organising committee, said.
Around 101 Brahmins will be performed Vishwashanti Mahayagna for the people who lost their lives in the horrific train accident. Apart from this, they will organise a program 'Yagya' by burning a quintal of ghee, said Sarat Raj, PS member, Bahanaga block.
The total no of deaths in the Balasore Train accident was revised to 288, Odisha Chief Secretary, Pradeep Kumar Jena said on Tuesday. Out of 288 bodies, 193 were sent to Bhubaneswar, and 94 bodies were handed over in Balasore. The body of one person who died while undergoing treatment for his injuries in Bhadrak Hospital was handed over to a relative.
Out of the 193 bodies which were sent to Bhubaneswar, 110 have been identified and 83 are still to be identified, the Odisha Chief Secretary added. Earlier on Monday officials said that there are 101 bodies yet to be identified. Talking to ANI, Divisional Railway Manager of the Eastern Central Railways Rinkesh Roy said that around 200 people are still being treated in various hospitals in Odisha.
Over 1000 persons were injured after the accident involving the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express the Howrah-Chennai Coromandel Express and a goods train near Bahanagar Bazar station in Odisha's Balasore district on June 2.
