After the triple-train accident that occurred near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district, all nine teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed for rescue operations have been withdrawn, according to the Inspector General of NDRF, Narendra Singh Bundela. The incident on June 2 involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Express and Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, along with a goods train. Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw waved at the crew of a goods train and prayed for a safe journey as services on the tracks that were affected resumed after 51 hours of massive rescue and restoration exercise.
The challenge faced by the NDRF teams was considerable, involving multiple coaches and passengers trapped inside overturned and derailed carriages. They provided medical assistance to injured passengers and eventually restored train services once rail movement on the main lines returned to normalcy.
The tragedy claimed the lives of 275 people and left over 1,000 injured, and the CBI is currently investigating the cause. According to Vaishnaw, the accident occurred as a result of a change in electronic interlocking. Despite the scale of the operation, the NDRF worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of those involved and the restoration of crucial rail service.
