Shock, grief over Amritsar mishap amid blame game
Magisterial probe to be concluded in four weeks; railways was not informed about event, says minister of state (MOS) Manoj Sinha
AMRITSAR : Railways denied any responsibility on Saturday for a horrific accident in which a speeding train mowed down scores of people watching Dussehra festivities near Amritsar, killing at least 61 people, and shifted the blame onto the local administration, amid an outpouring of grief over the tragedy.
Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh ordered an inquiry to determine if any lapses had been responsible for Friday night’s accident, which took place in this Sikh holy city, when a large crowd was watching the customary burning of a giant Ravana effigy stuffed with firecrackers in the climax to the 10-day festival.
Minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha, who visited the accident site near Joda Phatak, said, “The incident was not railways’ fault. There was no lapse on our part and no action against the driver will be initiated.”
Local authorities did not inform the railways about the event, he said, adding that it is the district administration that gives permissions for organising such events.
Railway board chairman Ashwani Lohani indicated that the state-run transporter will not open an investigation into the accident during the event, organised near a level crossing barely 70 metres from the Amritsar-jalandhar double railway track at around 7 pm. The level crossing was closed when the train approached, but people had spread out from the ground where the effigy was being burnt to the areas surrounding the tracks, many of them standing on the tracks. The area hadn’t been cordoned off and the explosion of fireworks was so deafening that the crowed failed to hear the train, whose driver neither blew the horn nor slowed down.
Chief minister Singh, whose government came under fire from some opposition leaders for alleged lapses, ordered a magisterial probe and asked for the report to be submitted within four weeks. The CM also appointed a three-member crisis management group to oversee relief operations. “The probe will cover all aspects of the tragedy. Only an inquiry can tell us about who gave permission,” said Singh.
CONTINUED ON P 8 ››RELATED REPORTS, P7