Bahanaga train mishap: 28 unclaimed bodies to be cremated in presence of CBI

The 28 unidentified bodies of the Bahanaga train mishap, which are still preserved in the special containers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), will be disposed of in the presence of the CBI. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Vijay Amruta Kulange informed this on Monday. 

“The cremation of unidentified bodies will be done by the BMC. The Khordha district Collector had received a letter from the CBI regarding the cremation of the bodies. Then, after receiving a letter from the Khordha district Collector, we had requested the AIIMS Bhubaneswar administration to hand the bodies over to us,” said Kulange. 

“Meanwhile, the AIIMS administration has already started the process. Today, they wrote a letter to the CBI seeking the presence of its officers at the time of cremation. There is a possibility that the CBI officers will arrive in a day or two. After their arrival, the AIIMS administration will inform us. Accordingly, the BMC and the police will do the cremation of the bodies,” he added. 

“Cremation will be carried out as per the guidelines laid out by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) with respect to the cremation of unidentified bodies. The traditional method of cremation with firewood will be followed. We will take the decision regarding the crematorium, most probably within two days. However, we have options like Satyanagar crematorium, Bharatpur crematorium, and two others,” he said. 

The tragic train mishap took place on June 2 and it took 290 lives. The incident occurred when the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express rammed into a stationary goods train at Bahanaga Bazaar station in Odisha’s Balasore district. Some of the derailed coaches subsequently collided with the Yeshvantpur Express returning to Howrah from the opposite direction.

As per AIIMS authorities, there were a total of 81 bodies and 110 claimants. 53 bodies were subsequently handed over after matching of the DNA samples. There were no claimants for 28 bodies.