Asia-Pacific
Death toll in Indian train collision rises to 66
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-20 20:11
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SAINTHIA, India - The search for the missing persons continued Tuesday with distressed kith and kin of the victims looking for the bodies of their loved ones, a day after the tragic train collision between Uttarbanga Express and Vananchal Express at Sainthia station in Birbhum district of West Bengal here.
The toll in the train collision rose to 66 Tuesday with three more injured passengers of the Vananchal Express succumbing to injuries at the Burdwan Medical College Hospital.
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They said 28 bodies have been sent to Burdwan hospital for preservation pending identification as the facility was absent in the Suri Sadar Hospital.
The identification process of the bodies was taking long as most of the dead belonged to the remote areas of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The Railways and the police have set up a control room to help those coming to the accident site in large numbers find their relatives.
Monday's train accident is the 15th such disaster in the last eleven months. Sealdah-bound Uttarbanga Express Monday collided into a stationary Vananchal Express at Sainthia station.
The train's luggage van was completely damaged but the maximum impact of the collision was felt by the last 2 general unreserved bogies of the Vananchal Express.
After collision, many passengers were left trapped inside the compartments.
And while the exact cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained, the chairman of the Railway Board on Monday hinted that human error could have led to the accident.