Video: Odisha School Where Crash Victims' Bodies Were Kept Demolished

A government-run school that was turned into a makeshift morgue where bodies of the Odisha train crash victims were kept, was demolished today.

Students of the government-run Bahanaga High School in Balasore were reluctant to return to their classes in the building, which was used as a temporary morgue after the triple train crash that killed 288 people.

The school management committee had pleaded with the state government to demolish the old school building, as many students and parents were reluctant to return to its premises. The committee had stated that the building was no longer safe and that the students and parents were traumatised by the event.

Soon after the June 2 train crash, shrouded bodies were brought to the 65-year-old school building.

"Younger students are scared," Bahanaga High School Headmistress Pramila Swain had said as quoted by news agency PTI.

Ms Swain added that the school planned to "conduct spiritual programmes and follow some rituals to help them overcome their fears."

The headmistress revealed that some senior students and NCC cadets from the school had even joined the rescue work following the train accident.

Balasore district collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde who visited the school yesterday, said, "I have met members of the school management committee, headmistress, other staff and local people. They want to demolish the old building and renovate it so that children do have any fear or apprehension to attend classes."

The horrific crash on June 2 killed 288 people and injured over 1,100. The crash disrupted the movement of goods and passenger trains on the busy route. Train movement resumed late Sunday night, 51 hours after the crash.