Dussehra tragedy: Mithu Madaan, family questioned
Till now, 75 eyewitness and 35 govt officials have given statements
Chief organiser of the Dussehra event, during which 61 lives were lost, Saurabh Madaan aka Mithu and six other people — part of the Dussehra event committee, recorded their statements before Jalandhar divisional commissioner B Purushartha, here on Wednesday.
Purushartha, who is a special executive magistrate probing the train tragedy, said, “Besides Mithu, his mother Vijay Madaan, father Raman Madaan were also examined.”
The magistrate, however, didn’t disclose the names of other members of the committee.
He said, “Two officials from Indian Railways —Dayanand and Paras—who have been appointed as nodal officers for replying to the queries related to the tragedy by divisional railway manager (DRM) Ferozepur, Vivek Kumar, also recorded their statements.”
He said, “Till now, 75 eyewitness and 35 officials of different departments, including Punjab Police, local bodies, improvement trust, Indian Railways, have got their statements recorded.”
Mithu Madaan appeared before the magistrate at 12:10pm and was questioned till 4pm. While talking to media Madaan said, “I have given answers to all the queries of the magistrate and submitted few important evidences.”
He, however, didn’t disclose about the questions he was asked and the proofs he submitted.
When asked was he satisfied with the inquiry, he said, “yes”.
Madaan whose mother Vijay Madan is a Congress councillor was the key organiser of the event and local bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu was the chief guest.
Kaur has been accused of delaying the ceremonial burning of the Ravana’s effigy due to which the incident took place. Kaur, however, has been denying the allegations.
Purushartha said, he will submit the inquiry report to the Punjab government before the deadline. He had started the probe on October 22.
Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh had said that the inquiry report will be submitted within a period of four weeks.
52 INJURED GIVEN FINANCIAL AID TILL DATE
Under the initiative to provide financial assistance to the people injured in the train accident at Jaura Phatak, local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu distributed cheques of ₹50,000 each to10 families at the Circuit House on Tuesday.
Till date, 52 injured persons, who are still undergoing treatment, have been provided financial assistance of ₹50,000.
As many as 69 injured persons of the train tragedy, which claimed 61 lives, will get the financial assistance by the Punjab government.
Sidhu said, “The family members of those killed in the tragedy will be given government jobs as per their qualification. Their treatment expenses will be borne by the government. Till now, about 100 cheques have been distributed.”