Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday left for Odisha to take stock of the situation in the wake of the triple train accident.
"PM Narendra Modi is leaving for Odisha where he will review the situation in the wake of the train mishap," PMO tweeted. Earlier, PM Modi chaired a high-level meeting to take stock of the situation in Odisha where at least 238 people were killed in an accident involving three trains.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also present at the meeting called by the Prime Minister.
As per the latest estimates by the South Eastern Railway, the death toll in the train accident involving two express trains — Bengaluru-Howrah Express and Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express — and a goods train in Balasore was 261.
Around 650 injured passengers have been taken to hospitals of Gopalpur, Khantapara, Balasore, Bhadrak and Soro, the South Eastern Railway said.
According to the preliminary report by the State Emergency Operation Center, around 900 people are injured. The Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed Mi-17 helicopters for the evacuation of the deceased and injured.
Prime Minister Modi had on Friday announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased.
According to a statement by the Prime Minister's Office, the ex-gratia amount will be allotted from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of the dead.
