Odisha train accident: Tamil Nadu, Odisha declare one-day state mourning on Saturday

MK Stalin's party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has also cancelled all its events scheduled for Saturday celebrating former Chief Minister Kalaingar Karunanithi's centenary

Chandigarh: After the fatal Odisha triple train mishap, Tamil Nadu and Odisha declared one-day state mourning on Saturday, while Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann offered his condolences to the bereaved families who lost their close ones’ in Balasore’s tragic rail accident and prayed for the recovery of the injured.

Taking to Twitter Mann wrote, “Deeply saddened to hear the unfortunate news of the train accident in Balasore, Odisha…Hundreds of people have lost their lives in the accident…My deepest condolences to the bereaved families…I pray to God that those injured in the accident get well soon.” Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu and Odisha government declared one-day state mourning following the Balasore train accident in Odisha which claimed 238 lives and left 900 injured.

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik respectively made the announcement.

Apart from that Stalin’s party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has also cancelled all its events scheduled for Saturday celebrating former Chief Minister Kalaingar Karunanithi’s centenary.

As it is the birth anniversary of the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu M Karunanidhi today, several events were scheduled. But DMK announced to cancel all the events mourning the death that happened in the Balasore train tragedy, said a party source.

Only CM would pay tribute to Kalaingar Statue and Kalaingar Memorial, all other public meetings and events were cancelled. A public meeting of Secular Progressive Alliance leaders scheduled for this evening is postponed and the next date will be announced later, he added further.

The Konkan Railway officials informed that the flagging off ceremony of the Goa-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express has been cancelled in view of the tragic accident in Odisha.

Coromandel Express, which was on its way to Chennai rammed the derailed coaches of the other train, which was going from Yeswanthpur to Howrah.

The accident happened around 7.20 pm near Bahanaga Bazar station when the train was on the way to Chennai Central station from the Shalimar station near Kolkata.