Balasore, June 2: Three years have passed since the devastating triple-train collision at Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Odisha's Balasore district, but the memories of the tragedy continue to haunt survivors and the families of the victims.

On the evening of June 2, 2023, at around 7 pm, the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express collided with a stationary goods train on the loop line at Bahanaga Bazar station. The impact caused 19 coaches of the train to derail. Moments later, the derailed coaches struck the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express travelling on the adjacent track, triggering one of the deadliest rail accidents in India's history.

The accident claimed 296 lives and left more than 1,200 passengers injured. The identities of 24 victims could not be established. Following the tragedy, the newly constructed Bahanaga High School was converted into a temporary mortuary as authorities struggled to identify and hand over bodies to their families.

The disaster witnessed an unprecedented humanitarian response from local residents. Hundreds of people rushed to the accident site and joined rescue operations. Volunteers from across Balasore district assisted in evacuating passengers, transporting the injured to hospitals and providing emergency support. Large numbers of residents also donated blood through the night to meet the urgent demand in hospitals.

The tragedy drew national attention, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visiting the accident site and meeting injured passengers undergoing treatment.

The investigation into the accident was handed over to the CBI. Subsequent inquiries pointed to failures in the signalling system. The Odisha High Court observed that collective negligence by railway authorities contributed to the disaster, while a report by the Commissioner of Railway Safety attributed the collision to errors in signalling-circuit modifications.

Even today, passengers travelling through Bahanaga recall the horrific events of that night. The tragedy remains a grim reminder of the importance of railway safety and accountability. As the nation marks the second anniversary of the disaster, tributes continue to pour in for the victims, with hopes that such a catastrophe never occurs again.