Railway Board Chairman Briefs Prime Minister's Office On Odisha Train Accident

Upon his return from Odisha, where a tragic railway accident claimed the lives of over 270 people and left more than 1,000 injured, AK Lahoti, Chairman of the Railway Board, provided an update to top officials in the Prime Minister's Office on Monday evening.

The briefing included crucial information about the current situation on the ground and the ongoing investigation.

According to reports, the Chairperson of the Railway Board would meet with key officials in the Prime Minister's Office, including the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, to provide detailed insights from the ground. As the railway ministry conducts its own inquiry into the incident, the government has also approached the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take up the matter.

"There is a need to have a deep investigation by a professional agency to rule out any deliberate interference," said top government sources in conversation with ANI.

Earlier in the day, the Chairman of the Railway Board, accompanied by Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, was on-site. It is expected that he will brief the PMO, which has been closely monitoring the developments, on the specific details.

The triple train accident near the Bahanaga Bazar area in Balasore occurred on Friday evening, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 275 lives and leaving over 1,000 individuals injured. As of Monday morning, the Odisha government reported that 151 bodies from the incident have been identified.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally visited the Balasore accident site and met with the injured individuals receiving treatment at the hospital. Prior to his departure from Delhi to the site of the mishap, PM Modi chaired a high-level review meeting to assess the situation and discuss the necessary actions.