One-day state mourning declared in Odisha, probe body formed

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik declared one-day state mourning on Saturday in view of the horrific train crash that killed more than 223 people and injured around 900.

The crash, one of the deadliest in India in the recent times, involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train.

Indian Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday said that a high-level committee has already been declared to conduct an inquiry into the train accident in Odisha's Balasore that left 238 people dead and over 900 injured.

He said that the Commissioner of Railway Safety has been called and an investigation will be held by him as well to try and identify the root cause of the accident.

Mr Vaishnaw said the entire focus of the government right now is on the rescue operation and the treatment of the injured