At least 83 bodies remain unidentified after the deadly train accident in Odisha’s Balasore, involving the Coromandel Express, a stationary goods train and the Bengaluru-Howrah Express, that took the life of 288 people.
208 bodies of the deceased have been handed over to family members, said Odisha’s Chief Secretary PK Jena.
However, even after numerous appeals from government authorities, many bodies continue to remain unclaimed, according to a report from Al Jazeera.
The report said that many families continue to search hospitals and mortuaries in an attempt to find their loved ones. However, the condition in which most of the bodies are, makes it difficult to identify them. Iced containers are being sourced to help in the preservation of the bodies, it added.
The All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in Bhubaneswar has set up large television screens displaying pictures of the dead, to help families look for the bodies of their friends and relatives.
According to a senior police officer that talked to Reuters, a list that detailed the distinguishing features of each body was made. Relatives, however, could first view photographs, to identify their missing loved ones.
Numerous instances have also occurred where one body has had multiple claimants. A Reuters report quotes Mohammed Imam Ul Haq, whose 12-year-old nephew’s body is also being claimed by another family. In such situations, DNA tests are being done for verification.
On June 2, the Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary goods train, derailing most of its coaches. This led to a few coaches of the train toppling over the last coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Express.
Earlier on Tuesday, The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a First Information Report (FIR) on the accident. Investigators are looking into possible human error, signal failure and other possible causes behind the three-train crash.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Abhishek Manikandan | 
