Bhubaneswar, Oct 10 (IANS): The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday started the cremation process of 28 unidentified bodies four months after the tragic train tragedy at Bahanaga in Balasore district on June 2.

“We have deployed three dead body carrier vehicles on behalf of BMC. We have now started taking over those bodies for cremation. We have the capacity to finish the cremation task within the next one or two days,” said BMC commissioner Amrut Kulange.

The AIIMS authorities said all the processes for the handing over of bodies have been completed. BMC began the cremation of some of the bodies at the designated crematorium at Bharatpur in the city Tuesday.

The DNA samples of the 28 bodies being handed over for cremation have been stored for matching in future.

The CBI which has been probing into the tragic train mishap is the custodian of the bodies kept at the AIIMS. The central agency had earlier written a letter to the district collector of the Khurda requesting for the disposal of the unidentified bodies.

As many as 297 passengers were killed in the tragic train mishap at Bahanaga.The AIIMS, Bhubaneswar had received 162 bodies out of which 81 were handed over to the claimants after physical examination while relatives took 53 more bodies after DNA testing.

As none came forward to claim the remaining 28 bodies, the authorities started disposing of them.