Death toll in Gyaneshwari Express Tragedy mounts to 141
merisarkar news service
New Delhi, May 29, 2010
Rescue workers at the site
The toll in the Gyaneshwari Express disaster in West Midnapore district rose to 141 with the recovery of 43 more bodies till Saturday night. Railway officials recovered 38 more bodies on Saturday after removing the engine of the goods train that rammed into five of the thirteen derailed coaches.
West Midnapore District Magistrate N S Nigam told the local media that 62 bodies have been identified so far and handed over to their relatives.
Authorities had to halt the rescue work because of rain at the disaster site. They fear that more bodies may be recovered from the S-5 and S-6 coaches and the toll could go further up.
Railway officials say that the tracks could not be cleared till late in the evening as the derailed coaches had not been removed.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday made a political issue out of the tragedy by blaming that there was a 'political conspiracy' behind this disaster. She also demanded a CBI probe in the tragedy.
