Indian Prime Minister Modi Convenes Meeting Over Deadly Train Collision - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd June, 2023) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called a meeting with railway officials on Saturday in the wake of a collision between two passenger trains and another carrying goods in the eastern state of Odisha, which killed over 280 people and injured multiple others, the NDTV broadcaster reported, citing sources.

Modi will discuss rescue efforts, treatment of victims and other issues related to the crash, the report said.

The accident occurred on Friday evening near the city of Balasore in India's east. According to the updated information, several cars of a passenger train traveling from Calcutta to Chennai derailed due to a collision with a freight train and fell onto the opposite track.

After a while, another passenger train rammed into them, resulting in three or four more cars with people falling off the tracks. At least 288 people were killed and over 900 were injured in the crash, media reported.

The prime minister, along with other senior Indian officials, politicians and members of parties, including from the opposition, expressed condolences for the train wreck. The Prime Minister's National Relief Fund also announced compensation of 200,000 rupees ($2,426) for the next of kin of each person killed and 50,000 rupees for the injured.