Title - GRP disposes of 425 unidentified bodies in five years: Thane

Government Railway Police (GRP) at Thane have disposed of as many as 425 unidentified bodies of victims of train accidents in last five years.

In the the last five years, a total of 1,456 persons, including 173 women, lost their lives in various train-related accidents in Thane alone. "The identity of 425 bodies could not be established and hence their bodies were disposed of as per the procedure," said a senior officer attached to Thane railway police station.

These deaths were on the account of reasons including crossing of tracks, falling off train etc, he said, adding that some of the victims are slum-dwellers living nearby the tracks and knocked down by trains.

"The facilities at the morgue of Thane civil hospital and CS Hospital at Kalwa are insufficient and police find it difficult to store the bodies for seven days before they are disposed of. The government has sanctioned an amount of Rs 500 to 1000 for the disposal of the unclaimed bodies," the officer said.

A Railway Police report revealed that at 342 deaths on tracks were the highest in 2012 and so did the number of unclaimed bodies at 134 in 2010. According to reports, the number of deaths in railway accidents in last five months this year has crossed 100.