DNA samples collected from five more for identification of bodies

Bhubaneswar: AIIMS Bhubaneswar on Sunday collected five more DNA samples from relatives of the train accident victims.
A total of 75 DNA samples have been collected from the relatives. Since there was confusion in identifying bodies, not a single body was handed over to the relatives on Sunday. The official death figure is 288. Out of these, 207 bodies have been handed over to relatives of the deceased. AIIMS Bhubaneswar has preserved all 81 bodies in its morgue and containers brought from Paradip Port.
Many of the relatives got confused with disfigured and decayed bodies and gave DNA samples for identification of their kin. They are being sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in New Delhi. The reports of DNA matching may come after a few days, official sources said.
Unlike other days, the help desk at AIIMS Bhubaneswar was mostly empty on Sunday. Only five families visited the hospital as many have returned after submitting their DNA samples.
“If a family member claims a body and submits his/her DNA sample for identification of the particular one, it will take less time to get a DNA matching report. It will take time to get a report in the case of multiple claims,” Prabhas Ranjan Tripathy, additional medical superintendent at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, said.
Official sources said the staff of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Railways and AIIMS Bhubaneswar will call the relatives after the DNA matching reports come. The state government is yet to take a decision on the disposal of the bodies.
Railway sources said compensation amount of more than Rs 25.17 crore has been given to 735 people, including injured people. Around 100 injured people were undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.