Odisha Train Tragedy: 29 Bodies Identified Through DNA Matching; To be Given to Family

Nearly a month after the triple train crash in Odisha, 29 bodies of those who died in one of the worst train tragedies in India have been identified — through DNA sample cross-matching —  and will be given to the family members.

Till now, at least 81 unidentified bodies have been kept in containers at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar.

“Crossmatch analysis of 29 bodies, around 15 of which had more than one claimant, has been received in the first phase and the handing over process will begin today,” sources told news18.

The state government, initially, uploaded the pictures of the dead on the websites: https://srcodisha.nic.in, https://www.bmc.gov.in, and https://www.osdma.org.

However to take extra precaution, DNA profiling was done to identify bodies after some were claimed by more than one family as it involved ex-gratia of Rs 15 lakh from both the Centre and state.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has made arrangements for free transportation of the bodies by hearses/dead body carriers till their destination.

If the relatives are unable to travel to AIIMS, the bodies will be cremated at Satyanagar and Bharatpur crematoria, sources added.

Meanwhile, the toll in the train tragedy touched 293 with one more injured passenger undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack succumbing on Thursday.

Manish Kumar (24), a resident of Jamui in Bihar, was admitted to the hospital with multiple injuries, a day after the train crash at Bahanaga Bazar station.

A total of 2,296 passengers were travelling in Howrah Superfast Express and Coromandel Express, which collided following the derailment of the latter after ramming a stationary goods train on June 2 evening.

The triple crash claimed 288 lives. While 211 passengers were declared dead at the spot by doctors mobilised from Bhadrak and Balasore, the rest were either received dead at different hospitals or succumbed while undergoing treatment.

As several bodies still remain unclaimed, the Indian Railways has appealed to relatives of the deceased to come forward and provide their DNA samples to establish their identity.