Two persons from South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal killed in Odisha train crash

South 24 Parganas: Two persons from Kakdwip of the South 24 Parganas district were killed in the Balasore train accident, police said on Saturday.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Prasenjit Banerjee said that a total of 32 people have been injured in the accident from the district. "Two people from Kakdwip have been reported dead in the incident. Their names are Mayuddin Sheikh and Halim Mollah. 32 people here have been injured in the accident. We are in contact with the families of those who died and those who were injured. All possible help is being provided to them," SDPO Prasenjit Banerjee told ANI.
Earlier on Friday the accident involved two passenger trains - Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express and a goods train on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar Station in Balasore district in which seventeen coaches of the passenger trains were de-railed and severely damaged in the accident.
According to South Eastern Railway, 261 people were killed and around 1,000 people were injured in the accident.
The injured passengers were admitted to hospitals in Gopalpur, Khantapara, Balasore, Bhadrak and Soro.
The preliminary report released on Saturday by the State Emergency Operation Centre of Odisha's Special Relief Commissioner said 17 coaches of these two trains have been de-railed.
Several NDRF teams, five Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force units and 24 Fire Services and Emergency Units are engaged in rescue operations.
Over 100 medical teams with paramedical staff along with medicines have been mobilized to the accident site for medical treatment, the statement said.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed Mi-17 helicopters for the evacuation of the deceased and injured. According to the Eastern Command, IAF is coordinating the rescue efforts with the civil administration and Indian Railways.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) DG Atul Karwal told ANI that nine teams of NDRF - more than 300 rescuers - are working in coordination with SDRF and other agencies in rescue efforts. The South Eastern Railway has cancelled 33 trains and diverted 36 trains to other routes.
The Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited the site and directed a "high level" probe and said measures will be taken to ensure such incidents do not take place in future.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also visited the accident site to take stock of the situation. (ANI)