India train crash latest updates — Death toll in Odisha collision nears 300 as PM Narendra Modi visits site of accident

ONE of the deadliest rail catastrophes in India’s history claimed the lives of more than 280 people and wounded more than 1,000 others on Friday when a passenger train derailed and hit two other trains in eastern India. India has been shaken by the accident in the city of Balasore in the eastern state of Odisha, prompting further calls for authorities to address safety concerns in a railway system that carries more than 13million people daily. Despite recent government spending millions to rebuild the train system, years of indifference have allowed the rails to degrade. Because of this, India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, was scheduled to debut some new high-speed trains today, which is a part of the government’s expanded infrastructure investment; instead, he arrived at the scene of the accident. Before traveling to Odisha to evaluate the damage, Modi presided over a high-level assessment conference and vowed “all possible assistance” for the victims’ relatives. Modi wrote on Twitter: “In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon.” Follow our India train crash live blog for the latest news and updates…