Odisha train crash: PM Modi convenes meeting to review situation; Report

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly convened an emergency meeting to review the situation in connection with the train accident in Odisha's Balasore.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly called for a high-level meeting to review the situation in connection with the train accident in Odisha's Balasore. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also present in the meeting.

Earlier on Friday, PM Modi announced an ex-gratia from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the victims of the train mishap in Odisha.

The Prime Minister's office tweeted, "An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased in the train mishap in Odisha. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM".

Meanwhile, the Indian Railways has launched a high-level investigation into the causes of the train tragedy.

The Indian Army joined the rescue effort on Saturday in the wake of the train crash in Balasore, Odisha. 

"Indian Army has been deployed to assist in the evacuation and treatment of injured citizens. Army medical and engineering teams with ambulances & support services have been deployed from the Eastern Command. The teams have been routed from multiple bases so as to reach the place of the incident as early as possible," the Army said.

At least 238 people have lost their lives and over 650 are injured in the devastating train collision in Odisha. The incident involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train. The tragic accident occurred near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district, about 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar, at around 7 pm on Friday.