AMRITSAR: More than 60 people are feared dead in a train acccident in Amritsar district of Punjab.At least 300 people were at the spot watching ‘Ravan Dahan’, sources said.
As per television reports, people had gathered in large numbers to participate in festivities when this unfortunate incident happened.One of the trains was coming from Jalandhar to Amritsar when the incident occurred.
Police said that the speeding passenger train crushed the crowd when a large number of people were watching the Ravan effigy in flames while standing along the railway tracks.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved a financial relief of Rs 2 lakh for the family of each deceased in the Amritsar train accident and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced Rs. 5 lakh for kin of each dead and free treatment for the injured, officials said there was no decision as yet on any compensation from the railways.All offices & educational institutions will remain closed,” the chief minister tweeted.
BJP leader and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the initial reports suggest it was a tragedy that could have been avoided.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said that he has cancelled all engagement in US and is returning to India.Local Bodies Minister Navjot Sidhu, who is currently in Bengaluru, told a television news channel that the death toll was alarmingly high. His wife Navjot Kaur Singh was the Chief Guest at the event.
MoS Railways Manoj Sinha said that medical teams are rushing to the spot. “I am also leaving for the site of the accident. As per initial information, people present near the railway track couldn’t hear the sound of the approaching train due bursting crackers.”
Shocking videos on the social media and television channels showed that the train crossed at full speed even as the Ravana effigy burns in the background.
Northern Railways issues helpline numbers at New Delhi railway station for #Amritsar accident: 01123342954, 01123341074, 01142622280 & 1072- 4 lines, Railway no. 22280.
