50 bodies remain unclaimed weeks after Odisha train crash

A month after a fatal train crash in India left at least 293 people dead, more than 50 bodies are still unclaimed.

On June 2, a passenger train collided with a stationary goods train causing it to derail in the eastern state of Odisha, while another train struck a few of the overturned coaches after that.

The crash, which was India's deadliest rail accident of the century, injured more than a thousand people.

The accident site has since been cleared up, but many families claim that because they are still looking for their loved ones' bodies, they are unable to find closure.

Shiv Charan, a resident of the eastern state of West Bengal, has been residing in a guest house in the city of Bhubaneswar, in the state of Odisha, for the past month.

It's located close to Aiims, a government hospital where the bodies are kept.

There are a total of 52 bodies that have been kept in a deep-freeze container. The identification process is made even more difficult for families because some of the bodies are in poor condition, the BBC reported.

In an effort to locate his brother Krishra, whom he spoke to just before the accident, Charan frequently visits the hospital. However, the torturous delay goes on forever.

He claims that so far, he has only been able to recognise a few of his brother's clothes, and he is still awaiting the results of the DNA test before he can claim them.

Like many others, Charan sent his DNA samples for testing, which is a method the authorities use to identify bodies and make sure they are given to the correct family when there are multiple claimants.

"No-one has told me when the report will come," Charan told the BBC, adding that he wouldn't leave without his brother's body. "I want his last rites to be performed properly," he says.

Three young children and his wife remain behind for another victim, Anzarul Haque. His wife frequently sobs in front of him at home in West Bengal State, as her husband's body is still missing.

While camping in Bhubaneswar, Haque's brother and brother-in-law have been visiting the hospital every day. They have given DNA samples and are awaiting the findings.

"A month has passed and we have not be able to get any information about his body," Mohammad Kareem, Haque's brother-in-law, said.

With each passing day, the family's hopes of discovering the body become less and less realistic. And a lot of people are experiencing the same thing.