Grief, anger as victims await justice
61 people were mowed down by a speeding train as they watched effigy of Ravana go up in flames adjoining railway tracks in Amritsar on Dussehra — October 19, 2018. A year on, HT runs a status check on multiple probes and lessons learnt from one of the worst festival tragedies
AMRITSAR: Call it lack of will or an attempt to shield the politically influential organisers of the Dussehra event held along the rail track in the heart of the city on October 19, 2018, but not a single person has been charged after a train mowed down 61 people and injured more than 100 who had gathered on the tracks to watch the customary burning of Ravana’s effigy at Dhobi Ghat near Jaura Phatak.
Three probes were instituted to fix accountability. Two inquiries have been completed, while one is underway. The first probe was conducted by chief commissioner of railway safety (CRS) SK Pathak. The second, a magisterial inquiry by Jalandhar divisional commissioner B Purushartha, was ordered chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh. The government railway police (GRP) is still in the process of conducting the third probe. It formed a special investigation team (SIT) to fix criminal responsibility but has failed to do so.
Three days after the tragedy, then Punjab director general of police Suresh Arora directed the GRP to investigate the incident. Then additional director general of police (ADGP, railways) Iqbal Singh Sahota formed an SIT headed by additional inspector general (AIG, railways) Daljit Singh Rana with DSP, Amritsar railway, Balraj Singh, two inspectors and the GRP Amritsar station house officer. The SIT was to complete the probe in three months.
A year on, it has not even got the forensic reports. DSP Balraj Singh says, “We have not received forensic reports of the train and those killed. Samples were sent to several labs. Once the reports come, we will conclude the probe.”
ADGP railways Sanjeev Kalra says, “It’s a sensitive case and the SIT is examining every aspect carefully.”
SIT in-charge Daljit Singh Rana did not respond to calls. In March, Rana said, “We are awaiting forensic reports from Chandigarh. The probe will conclude in 20 days.”
However, the two probes that concluded have not led to any action. In the first probe, Pathak absolved railway employees of the blame, saying negligence on part of the public caused the accident.
The magisterial probe held the gateman of the Jaura Phatak crossing and event organisers accountable. In December, the chief minister ordered stern action against those accountable, but no action was taken. The report blamed police and civic body officials for failing to enforce the law, while key railway employees failed to take safety measures despite knowing that hundreds of people were standing on and around the tracks.
The organisers had not taken permission for the event but two water tankers and a fire tender were deployed at the site. A DSP and two SHOs were among the 100 policemen at the event but they took no steps to keep people away from the tracks.
The event was organised by local Congress councillor Vijay Madan’s son Saurabh, alias Mithu, an aide of Congress MLA and former local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. Sidhu’s wife, Navjot Kaur, was the chief guest. The magisterial probe gave a clean chit to her, saying she had no role in organising the event.
Police commissioner Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill said the matter in which the chief minister had ordered action was not in his knowledge.
A case was registered under Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 304-A (causing death by negligence), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC.
“No one has been named in the FIR and no arrest made,” says GRP Amritsar SHO Balbir Singh.