Four months after the dreadful train accident that left 296 persons dead and 1,100 injured in Odisha’s Balasore district, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has begun the process of disposing of the remains of 28 victims, whose rightful claimants had failed to come forward to collect them.
The BMC authorities on Saturday issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) for disposal of bodies lying in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar following approval of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the month of August.
The corporation will make two to three vehicles available for transporting bodies from AIIMS-Bhubaneswar to the cremation ground. Scientifically embalmed bodies of accident victims have been preserved in special containers in the mortuary of AIIMS for the past four months.
After Director, AIIMS hands over the 28 unidentified dead bodies lying in the mortuary to BMC Health Officer, a record will be maintained. All the processes will be videographed and photographed. All bodies will be cremated at city’s Bharatpur cremation ground.
“We are ready with all the support staff and facilities. The decision to dispose of bodies will be taken in the presence of CBI representatives, who are expected to reach here on October 9,” said BMC Mayor Sulochana Das.
On June 2, the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary goods train at Bahanaga Bazar Station in Balasore district and subsequently Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express coming on another track was also hit. The accident that had taken place due to lapses in the signalling circuit alteration was perhaps one of the worst train accidents in history of Indian Railways.
As many as 296 persons had died in the accident. Many of the bodies were beyond recognition. Majority of victims were from West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand. After handing over of bodies at Balasore immediately following accident, 162 bodies were brought to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar. As many as 81 bodies were identified and relatives subsequently got their custody.
As multiple claimants came forward for bodies, it was decided to conduct DNA profiling of the bodies. Basing on DNA reports, relatives received 53 bodies. As many 28 bodies continued to be with AIIMS. The AIIMS authorities have not been contacted by claimants of bodies during the past one month. There were reports of fake claimants turning up to receive bodies in order get ex-gratia amount announced by Indian Railways.
