13 bodies of Odisha train accident identified, handed over to families

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 1 : Thirteen dead bodies of the victims of the Odisha train crash have been identified on the basis of DNA test results and handed over to their families on Saturday, a statement from East Coast Railway said.

"The bodies were released on the basis of DNA test results. 13 dead bodies of Bahanaga Train accident victims have been handed over to the next kin of the deceased today," the statement informed.

As per the statement, Four bodies have been sent to Bihar, Eight to West Bengal, one body has been sent to Jharkhand.

The bodies were released with coordination with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Government Railway Police and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The statement said that the government made all arrangements to send the identified bodies to their native places.

It said that ex-gratia announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Minister of Railways has been already paid to the next kin of the deceased.

The process of handing over the bodies will continue till the claimants arrive, it added.

The tragic incident of a triple train accident on June 2, which involved the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express, the Howrah-bound Shalimar Express, and a goods train, claimed the lives of 291 people and injured over 1000 people.