13 more bodies of Balasore train tragedy handed over to families
Bhubaneswar, Jul 1: At least 13 more bodies of the June 2 Balasore train accident kept at AIIMS Bhubaneswar were handed over to their family members on Saturday, official sources said.
Of the 29 bodies identified using DNA sampling, six were handed over to their families on Friday and 13 on Saturday, a railway official said.
"On the basis of DNA test results and with coordination with AIIMS Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and GRP, 13 bodies of the Bahanaga train accident victims have been handed over to the kin of the deceased on Saturday," the railway official said.
Of the 13 bodies, four have been sent to Bihar, eight to West Bengal and one to Jharkhand, he said.
An ex gratia amount of Rs 10 lakh each have been paid to the kin of the family members as announced by the railways, the official said.
Stating that the process of handing over of the bodies will continue till claimants come, the official said as many as 62 bodies still remain unidentified and preserved in the containers in AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
Of the 293 persons killed in the accident involving Shalimar-Chennai-bound Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and a stationary goods train, 287 had died on the spot or brought dead to hospital while six succumbed to injuries in hospitals.
The accident took place near Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district on June 2 evening.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Insensitive towards Tamil Nadu: DMK MP Kanimozhi urges rescheduling of UGC NET exam
Chennai: DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has written to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, urging an immediate change in the dates of the UGC NET exam, scheduled for January 15 and 16, which coincides with Pongal.
In her letter, Kanimozhi criticised the decision, calling it insensitive to the cultural sentiments of Tamil Nadu. She also pointed out that this is not the first instance, citing a similar clash with CA exams earlier. "This lack of consideration is becoming a pattern," she remarked.
Kanimozhi took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her letter, stating that Pongal is more than a festival, it represents Tamil pride and identity. She accused the Union Government of neglecting Tamil Nadu's cultural values and demanded an immediate rescheduling of the exam.
She further wrote, "Once again, the Union Government has exposed its blatant disregard for our state and its people. Students should not be forced to choose between their education and tradition."
தமிழ்நாட்டின் பாரம்பரியத் திருவிழாவான பொங்கல் (ஜன 15,16) நாளில் பல்கலைக்கழக மானியக் குழுவின் (UGC) - பேராசிரியர் தகுதித் தேர்வு (NET) நடத்துவதற்கான முடிவைத் திரும்பப் பெற வேண்டும் என்று ஒன்றிய கல்வித்துறை அமைச்சர் @dpradhanbjp அவர்களுக்குக் கடிதம் எழுதியுள்ளேன்.
— Kanimozhi (கனிமொழி) (@KanimozhiDMK) December 22, 2024
சமீபத்தில்தான்,… pic.twitter.com/SxMwpasXXp
