Congress leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has called for Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to resign in light of the triple train tragedy in Odisha that resulted in the deaths of 261 people. The incident occurred on Friday evening and involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express, and a goods train on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar Station in Balasore district of Odisha. Chavan has expressed his condolences for the victims and is calling for the report of the inquiry to be made public.
Chavan cited initial reports stating that the accident was due to signal failure, and he emphasized the need for a thorough investigation to ensure that such accidents do not happen again. Vaishnaw has additionally said that a high-level probe has been initiated, and restoration work has begun. Rescue operations were performed by seven National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Teams, five Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) Units, and 24 Fire Services and Emergency Units. The Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed Mi-17 helicopters to evacuate the deceased and injured. It is essential that steps are taken to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
