Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama "deeply saddened" by train collision in Odisha, offers condolences
Jun 04, 2023
Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 4 : Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama offered his condolences to the families of those who lost lives or sustained injuries in the Odisha train accident, the Office of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama said.
Expressing his grief over the tragic incident, Dalai Lama wrote a letter to the Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik on Saturday to tell him how deeply saddened he was to see reports of the tragic train collision that took place in Balasore.
"I offer my condolences to the families of those who have lost loved ones," he wrote in the letter, "and pray for all those who have been injured and others affected by this tragedy.
"I very much appreciate that the State Government and other agencies, including those of the Central Government, are doing their utmost to provide medical treatment and support to the injured and other people affected by this tragic accident," Dalai Lama said, as per the official statement.
The Dalai Lama Trust (DLT) is making a donation to medical care, as well as relief and rescue activities, in solidarity with the people of Odisha, the statement added.
Head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis on Sunday also condoled the loss of lives in the train accident in Odisha's Balasore in which 275 people died and over a thousand were injured.
During the Sunday Angelus in Saint Peter's Square, Pope Francis remembered the victims of the train accident.
The Pope assured the people of his prayers and expressed his concern for the injured and their families. He prayed, "May our heavenly Father receive the souls of the deceased into his kingdom," according to Vatican News.
"My prayer goes to the many victims of the train accident that occurred two days ago (June 2) in India. I express my closeness to the injured and their families," he said.
In the three-way train accident, the number of injured people reached over 1000, according to Railway officials. 17 coaches of the two trains derailed and were severely damaged in the accident that took place on Friday evening.
Condolences poured in from all across the globe after the tragic triple train mishap took place in Odisha's Balasore district.
