Ankara: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a train accident in Odisha which claimed the lives of 261 people. He offered condolences to the families of victims who were killed in the train accident.

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Shehbaz Sharif wrote, "Deeply saddened by the loss of hundreds of lives in a train accident in India. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in this tragedy. Prayers for a speedy recovery of the injured."

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif on Friday left for Turkey to attend the inauguration of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also expressed his grief and said that he is "saddened" to learn about the loss of lives in a train accident in Odisha's Balasore. He offered condolences to the victims' families and wished speedy recovery for the injured.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari tweeted, "Saddened to learn of the high death toll in the tragic train accident in Odisha, India. Our condolences for the families of the victims. Wish speedy recovery to the injured."

The number of casualties in the three-way train accident on Friday involving the Bengaluru-Howrah superfast Express, the Coromandel Express and the goods train on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar Station in Balasore district has reached 261. 17 coaches of passenger trains have been derailed and severely damaged in the accident on Friday evening.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday said that the rescue operation in the Odisha triple train mishap that claimed the lives of 261 people has been completed and restoration work has begun.

According to officials, by Saturday afternoon, the number of people killed in the incident had gone up to 261 while around 1000 have been injured. A preliminary report released earlier today by the State Emergency Operation Centre of Odisha's Special Relief Commissioner in Bhubaneswar had put the toll to 238.

Vaishnaw who arrived at the incident site in Balasore said that a high-level probe has been initiated and efforts will be taken to ensure that such incidents do not happen in the future.

"The rescue operation has been completed and restoration work has started. We will thoroughly investigate this incident and ensure such incidents don't happen in future," Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday left for Odisha to take stock of the situation in the wake of the triple train accident.

"PM Narendra Modi is leaving for Odisha where he will review the situation in the wake of the train mishap," PMO tweeted. Earlier, PM Modi chaired a high-level meeting to take stock of the situation in Odisha.