Organisers, rly officials among 20 summoned
PROBE ON Magistrate yet to call Navjot Kaur for questioning; 51 witnesses record statements
AMRITSAR: Jalandhar divisional commissioner B Purushartha, who has been appointed special executive magistrate to probe the Amritsar train tragedy, said 20 people, including the Dussehra organisers and railway officials, have been summoned so far.
At least 61 people were killed and many injured when a train ploughed through a crowd watching a Ravana effigy being burnt in Amritsar on October 19.
On Thursday, Purushartha recorded statements of 51 people, including relatives of the dead and injured. Eyewitnesses recorded statements and submitted evidences. He has questioned Amritsar DC Kamaldeep Singh Sangha, commissioner of police SS Srivastva and deputy commissioner of police Amrik Singh Pawar. He said main organiser of the event, Saurabh Madaan aka Mithu, has also been summoned.
When questioned, Purushartha said Navjot Kaur Sidhu, who was chief guest of the event, has not been summoned. “If need arises everyone involved will be called for questioning,” he said.
On Wednesday, a victim, accompanied by SAD-BJP leaders, lodged a complaint against Kaur and Mithu at the Mohkampura police station holding them “responsible” for the tragedy.On being questioned if any eyewitness gave evidence against Mithu and Navjot Kaur, he said: “It’s a part of the probe and the proceedings can’t be disclosed.”
SAD-BJP LEADERS PROTEST AT AIT OFFICE
SAD-BJP workers led by former minister Bikram Singh Majithia held a protest at the Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT) office during a public hearing on the train tragedy. The protesters raised slogans and demanded probe by a high court judge.
“Why the inquiry is being conducted at the AIT office which is under Navjot Singh Sidhu?” The magisterial inquiry has been ordered to give a clean chit to the Sidhu’s wife, Majithia, who was accompanied by state BJP chief Shwait Malik, said.
“People and media were not allowed in the trust office. If this was to be done, the inquiry could have been held at Sidhu’s residence,” said Majithia, adding that the victim families are also being pressured not to name any Congress functionary before the inquiry officer.
SIDHU SEEKS FENCING ON RAIL TRACKS
Aiming to stop accidents happening on railway tracks, local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu wrote to Union railway minister Piyush Goyal Thursday to put in place an effective mechanism.
Sidhu said that he has demanded for the construction of a high fencing on the railway tracks in densely populated areas following the Mumbai-Pune highway pattern.
In the letter, Sidhu has suggested installing CCTVs and alarms besides constant patrolling on the tracks. Handing over cheques to three victim families, Sidhu said, till now financial assistance has been provided to 41 people. He lauded the district administration for speeding up the distribution process of financial relief to the victim families.