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Odisha Train Accident: 'I will never forget the bloodbath on tracks'

"As the train derailed, I woke up to find myself pinned under the weight of 10-15 people. I was trapped beneath them. I am experiencing intense pain in my hand and the back of my neck..." Eyewitnesses recall moments of horror when three trains collided in Odisha's Balasore district on June 2 evening.

Odisha Train Accident eyewitness account will never forget the bloodbath on tracks
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First Published Jun 3, 2023, 1:03 PM IST

The death of over 260 passengers in the horrific mishap involving three trains in Odisha's Balasore district on Friday evening (June 2) has left many shaken. More than 650 people are currently undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Odisha.  

Vandana Khated, a passenger of the Coromandel train, was returning from the washroom when the incident happened. 'The train teetered dangerously, causing everyone to lose their balance. Pandemonium erupted, with people sprawled haphazardly over one another. It was a scene of complete chaos. We were overwhelmed by the shock of what was happening, struggling to grasp the enormity of the tragedy. Eventually, we found a way to escape,' she told media persons.

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The devastating collision and subsequent derailment resulted in a horrifying scene of death and mangled metal. Another eyewitness said, "I was feeling a bit drowsy. So I had fallen asleep when the train suddenly toppled over. As the train derailed, I woke up to find myself pinned under the weight of 10-15 people. I was trapped beneath them. I am experiencing intense pain in my hand and the back of my neck."

One of the Coromandel Express passengers who rescued some others from the train wreck before receiving medical attention at the hospital, recounted, "I boarded the Coromandel Express around 6:40 pm from Baleshwar (Balasore). Shortly after, I heard a loud noise and realized that the train had overturned and a serious accident had occurred. When the train came to a stop, I immediately disembarked and proceeded to rescue three or four people. Subsequently, a compassionate individual helped me down, provided me with water, and arranged for me to receive medical treatment."

Another eyewitness recalled seeing limbless bodies and a bloodbath on the train tracks. 

'It was a sight that I will never forget,' he said.

Odisha train crash one of the deadliest Railway accidents in India

Help desks are operational in Odisha. Their numbers are as follows:

Howrah (HWH) - 033-26382217
Kharagpur (KGP)- 8972073925, 9332392339
Balasore (BLS) - 8249591559, 7978418322
Shalimar (SHM) - 9903370746
Chennai - 044-25330952
Odisha government helpline 06782-262286
Bhadrak - 8455889900
Jajpur Keonjhar Road - 8455889906
Cuttack - 8455889917
Bhubaneswar - 8455889922
Khurda Road - 6370108046
Brahmapur - 89173887241
Balugaon - 9937732169

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