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India’s PM Narendra Modi says those found ‘guilty’ for train crash will receive ‘harshest punishment’

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said people found “guilty” for the deadly train crash in the country on Friday (2 June) which killed 280 people will receive the “harshest punishment”.

The leader made the comments as he visited the site of yesterday’s (2 June) crash in the Odisha state and also vowed to look after the families of those killed and injured in the accident.

He told reporters today: “This is a very big, painful and disturbing incident, those family members who have been injured, the government will leave no effort for their well-being.

“Those we have lost will not come back, the government is with the families in hour of grief. It’s a very serious matter of concern for the government.”

He added that his government would leave “no stone unturned for the treatment of those injured”.

The cause of the crash, which involved two trains, is still being investigated by authorities.

As well as the fatalities, 900 people were injured in what was one of the country’s deadliest rail crashes in decades.

Rescuers rushed to the scene of the crash and climbed on top of the wrecked trains, before breaking open doors and windows using cutting torches.

Army soldiers and air force helicopters also joined the rescue effort.

Describing the shocking incident, Sudhanshu Sarangi, director of Odisha state’s fire and emergency department, said: “By 10 p.m. (on Friday) we were able to rescue the survivors. After that it was about picking up dead bodies.

”This is very, very tragic. I have never seen anything like this in my career.”

The crash comes amid work to modernise the British colonial-era railroad network in India, which has become the world’s most populous country with 1.42 billion people.

Despite government efforts to improve rail safety, several hundred accidents occur every year on India’s railways, the largest train network under one management in the world.

Modi flew to the crash site and spent half an hour examining the relief effort and talking to rescue officials.

He was also seen giving instructions on the phone to officials in New Delhi.

He later visited a hospital where he walked around inquiring from doctors about the treatment being given to the injured, and spoke to some of them, moving from bed to bed in a ward.

Additional reporting by Associated Press.

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