Bhubaneswar: After visiting several injured passengers of the ill-fated Coromandel Express who are currently undergoing treatment in different hospitals in Cuttack, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said about 31 passengers from the neighbouring state are still missing.
She further stated that about 103 bodies of passengers from Bengal have been identified so far.
Banerjee informed reporters that a total of 97 passengers from Bengal are undergoing treatment in different hospitals in Odisha.
She visited the SCB Medical College and Hospital and interacted with the patients there. During her visit, she assured them of all possible help.
On being asked about her opinion regarding the CBI probe into the incident, Banerjee said she wanted the truth to be revealed.
“Let truth come out. I don’t want to comment on this now. We must work for the people and help the families,” she added.
The West Bengal Chief Minister said that an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh has already been announced for the next of kin of the deceased passengers from Bengal.
“We will give Rs 1 lakh to the families of the critically injured. There are about 800 to 900 people, who haven’t been injured but were travelling on that train. We will give them Rs 10,000 each as they are going through physical and mental stress and trauma.”
She was accompanied by West Bengal’s Women and Child Development minister Shashi Panja and Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharjee. They also visited the injured passengers admitted in AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
