Unidentified Bodies From Odisha Train Disaster To Be Cremated; Remained In AIIMS Custody

Four months after the tragic triple train accident that resulted in the loss of 297 lives in Odisha's Balasore district, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken steps to address the disposal of 28 unidentified bodies, according to an official statement.

The BMC has introduced a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) aimed at scientifically managing the remains of the 28 individuals for whom rightful claimants could not be identified. BMC Mayor Sulochana Das shared insights into this process, stating, "We have issued an SOP for the scientific disposal of the unclaimed bodies of those who were killed in the triple train accident. The bodies will be handed over to the corporation in the presence of CBI officials, and we are planning for the cremation on Tuesday."

The BMC initiated this procedure after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has been conducting an investigation into the train accident, contacted the Khurda district collector, requesting the organized disposal of these bodies using scientific methods.

Since the tragic incident occurred in June, the bodies had been stored at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. The BMC will now coordinate the transportation of these bodies from AIIMS to the designated cremation grounds at Satyanagar and Bharatpur within the city.

The bodies will be officially handed over to the BMC health officer by the AIIMS Bhubaneswar director in accordance with the rules and guidelines established by the state, the Central government, and the National Human Rights Commission for the cremation of unclaimed bodies. To ensure transparency, the entire process will be documented through video recording, as specified in the SOP issued by the BMC.

AIIMS Bhubaneswar had received a total of 162 bodies as a result of the train accident. In the initial phase, 81 of these bodies were handed over to the families of the deceased. Subsequently, 53 additional bodies were given to their respective families after DNA testing confirmed their identities. However, the remains of 28 individuals remained unclaimed.

The bodies had been preserved in deep freezer containers obtained from the Paradip Port Trust. The triple train accident involved the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, the Bengaluru-Howrah Super Fast Express, and a goods train. The incident occurred when the Coromandel Express collided with a stationary goods train, resulting in the derailment of numerous coaches near the Bahanaga Bazar station. Several coaches from the Coromandel Express also impacted the last few coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Express, which was passing by at the same time.