A technical glitch in the signalling system is the cause of Friday's devastating train accident in Odisha.

A technical glitch with the signalling system has been identified as the cause of Friday's devastating train crash in Odisha's Balasore district that left 288 people dead and over 1,000 injured, according to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Vaishnaw confirmed that the underlying issue was related to the point machine and electronic interlocking system.

The electronic interlocking system, a technical term referring to a complex signal system designed to stop trains colliding by arranging their movement on the tracks, malfunctioned, leading to the fatal incident. (NDTV)