"Distraught with the Balasore tragedy...": Assam CM condoles deaths in Odisha train accident

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that he is "distraught" with the Odisha train tragedy which claimed over 280 lives and left over 1,000 people injured.
Taking to Twitter, Sarma posted a video condoling the deaths in the tragedy. "I am distraught with the train accident in Balasore, Odisha. All of us, the people of Assam, pray to God for the departed souls to rest in peace and for the bereaved families to get strength in this hour of grief. Our thoughts are with affected families," Sarma said.
However, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said that it is necessary to investigate the matter.
While speaking to ANI in Srinagar he further questioned that if one train had an accident, then how come the other two trains were not stopped?
"This is a very regrettable incident. More than 250 people have died in this and the condition of many people is critical. A few days back, the Railways Minister had given a statement that now there will be no accidents. If one train had an accident, then how come the other two trains were not stopped? It is necessary to investigate the matter," said Farooq Abdullah.
The three-way accident involved Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express and the goods train on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar Station in Odisha's Balasore district.
According to the Odisha Government's Special Relief Commissioner's office 17 coaches of the two trains had derailed and severely damaged.
As per the latest government report, at least 288 people have been killed in the accident and more than 800 have been injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi who visited the site on Saturday said that directions have been given to probe the train accident in Odisha's Balasore which killed over 260 passengers, and that whoever is found guilty will not be spared.
PM Modi's remarks came during his visit to Fakir Mohan Hospital, Balasore, where some of the passengers injured in Friday's accident involving three trains were admitted.
"It's a painful incident. The government will not be able to bring them back, who lost their lives [in the accident], but the government is with their kin in this grief. This incident is very serious for the government. The government will leave no stone unturned for the treatment of those injured. Instructions have been given for every type of investigation and whoever is found guilty will not be spared," PM Modi said. (ANI)