Editor's Pick: Toll high in train mishap involving Coromandel Express

Over 200 passengers were killed and more than 900 injured in a major rail accident involving two express trains and a goods train in Balasore district of Odisha on Friday evening. The accident took place around 7 p.m. when two coaches of 12864 (SMVB-HWH) Yashwantpur-Howrah Express derailed near Bahanaga railway station. The derailed coaches toppled on the adjoining track and hit the speeding 12841 Coromandel Express coming from the opposite direction. It led to derailment of about 17 coaches. A goods train was also involved in the accident as some of the coaches of the Coromandel Express hit its wagons after getting derailed, Odisha Chief Secretary P.K. Jena said. Railway officials were, however, hesitant to state the exact cause of the accident and were waiting for outcome of initial findings. The toll is likely to rise as disaster response teams and local residents were retrieving bodies from under derailed coaches. The Coromandel Express, a long-distance train connecting West Bengal with Tamil Nadu had left Shalimar station earlier in the day. Its passengers comprise mostly residents of West Bengal who visit Tamil Nadu either for work or to avail of better healthcare facilities. The accident is being described as one of the worst in recent times. In 2013, the Coramandel Express had met with an accident in Jajpur district of Odisha, about 50 km away from the present accident site. Though the Odisha government had deployed dozens of teams under supervision of over 10 senior Secretaries and a Minister, chaos prevailed at the accident site and at healthcare centres. The State government has mobilised doctors from all neighbouring districts as well as premier medical colleges. People from nearby villages ran to the accident sites as first responders. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw solicited the help of the Air Force in the rescue operations. He announced ex gratia of ₹10 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and ₹2 lakh for the seriously injured. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday night deputed a team led by Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar to Odisha to aid Tamils affected in the train accident. Several long-distance trains have been cancelled due to the accident. The Hindu’s Editorials Reset time: On GST revenue growth Good and bad: On India and artificial intelligence The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is a member of Parliament from which constituency? Bidhuna Azamgarh Kaiserganj Fatehbad To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 03 June 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( Toll high in train mishap involving Coromandel Express Over 200 passengers were killed and more than 900 injured in a [major rail accident involving two express trains and a goods train in Balasore district]( of Odisha on Friday evening. The accident took place around 7 p.m. when two coaches of 12864 (SMVB-HWH) Yashwantpur-Howrah Express derailed near Bahanaga railway station. The derailed coaches toppled on the adjoining track and hit the speeding 12841 Coromandel Express coming from the opposite direction. It led to derailment of about 17 coaches. A goods train was also involved in the accident as some of the coaches of the Coromandel Express hit its wagons after getting derailed, Odisha Chief Secretary P.K. Jena said. Railway officials were, however, hesitant to state the exact cause of the accident and were waiting for outcome of initial findings. The [toll is likely to rise]( as disaster response teams and local residents were retrieving bodies from under derailed coaches. The Coromandel Express, a long-distance train connecting West Bengal with Tamil Nadu had left Shalimar station earlier in the day. Its passengers comprise mostly residents of West Bengal who visit Tamil Nadu either for work or to avail of better healthcare facilities. The accident is being described as one of the worst in recent times. In 2013, the Coramandel Express had met with an accident in Jajpur district of Odisha, about 50 km away from the present accident site. Though the Odisha government had deployed dozens of teams under supervision of over 10 senior Secretaries and a Minister, chaos prevailed at the accident site and at healthcare centres. The State government has mobilised doctors from all neighbouring districts as well as premier medical colleges. People from nearby villages ran to the accident sites as first responders. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw solicited the help of the Air Force in the rescue operations. He announced ex gratia of ₹10 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and ₹2 lakh for the seriously injured. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday night deputed a team led by Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar to Odisha to aid Tamils affected in the train accident. Several long-distance trains have been cancelled due to the accident.  The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Reset time: On GST revenue growthÂ]( [Arrow][Good and bad: On India and artificial intelligence]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is a member of Parliament from which constituency? - Bidhuna - Azamgarh - Kaiserganj - Fatehbad To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here.]( [Sign up for free]( [[Mural in new Parliament shows Ashoka empire: Government] Mural in new Parliament shows Ashoka empire: Government]( [[PM Modi invited to address joint session of U.S. Congress on June 22] PM Modi invited to address joint session of U.S. Congress on June 22]( [[Interfaith marriages | As vigilante groups thrive, couples try to survive] Interfaith marriages | As vigilante groups thrive, couples try to survive]( [[Puff the magic dragon: the myth of ‘safe’ e-cigarettes] Puff the magic dragon: the myth of ‘safe’ e-cigarettes]( Copyright @ 2023, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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