Odisha train crash: One of deadliest in Indian Railways history

PTI, Jun 3, 2023, 8:17 AM IST

The train crash in Odisha on Friday, involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train in which at least 233 people were killed and more than 900 injured, is one of the deadliest such accidents since independence, data shows.

Here is a look at other such deadliest train crashes:

* It was on June 6, 1981 that India recorded its worst train accident which occurred in Bihar. A train fell into the river Bagmati while crossing a bridge, killing more than 750 people.

* On August 20, 1995, the Purushottam Express collided with the stationary Kalindi Express near Firozabad. The official death toll was around 305.

* On 26 November 1998, the Jammu Tawi–Sealdah Express collided with three derailed coaches of the Frontier Golden Temple Mail in Khanna in Punjab, killing 212 people.

* August 2, 1999: The Gaisal train disaster occurred when the Brahmaputra Mail crashed into the stationary Avadh Assam Express at Gaisal station in North Frontier Railway’s Katihar division, killing more than 285 people and injuring over 300. Many of the victims were Army, BSF or CRPF personnel.

* November 20, 2016: The Pukhrayan train derailment occurred when 14 coaches of the Indore–Rajendra Nagar Express derailed at Pukhrayan, approximately 60 km from Kanpur, killing 152 people and injuring 260.

* September 9, 2002: The Rafiganj train wreck occurred when the Howrah Rajdhani Express derailed over a bridge on the Dhave river in Rafiganj, killing more than 140 people. Terrorist sabotage was blamed for the incident.

* December 23, 1964: The Pamban–Dhanuskodi passenger train was washed away by the Rameswaram cyclone, killing over 126 passengers on board.

* May 28, 2010: The Jnaneswari Express train derailment — The Mumbai-bound train had derailed near Jhargram and was then hit by an oncoming goods train, leading to the death of 148 passengers.