Dussehra, an occasion that symbolises the victory of good over evil, turned into a tragic accident on October 19 when a speeding train rammed into dozens of people who were standing on railway tracks in Amritsar.
An effigy of Ravana was being burnt to ashes in a ground that was also one of the crossover points for railway trains. Over 58 people were mowed down by the train whose driver allegedly informed local media that he had been given the ¡°green signal¡±.
Ex-MLA Navjot Kaur Sidhu was the chief guest at the event. Once the Ravana was set ablaze, around 5,000 people were standing on the tracks. The noise of bursting crackers couldn¡¯t be heard during the celebration and a speeding train therefore, could not be heard by the spectators.
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A lot of questions since then have been raised by the kin of deceased persons as well as the normal public. First, why was the event being organised near Joda Phatak where railway trains frequently operate? Secondly, why weren¡¯t there proper security arrangements to warn the people? Third, the train driver informed local media that he had been given the ¡®green signal¡¯ and reportedly, just 30 seconds before the train ran over hundreds of spectators, a slow moving train had passed by.
Photo: BCCL
Now, two new videos from the event are surfacing where one person can be seen warning the people not to stand on the tracks. The man can be heard saying, ¡°People who are standing on the tracks know all the timings, which train will arrive at what time. But still, train will not seek our permission before coming so we have to take care of our lives.¡±
In the second video, the organizer can be seen standing with the Chief Guest, Navjot Kaur Sidhu as he flaunts that even if 500 trains pass by, around 5,000 people will keep standing on the tracks to witness the event.
While Kaur has vindicated herself of any wrongdoing, she claims that people had been informed repeatedly to not stand on the railway tracks and rather come near the stage and then enjoy the event. People who were residing on the other side of the track wanted a better view of the burning effigy which is why they were standing on the elevation.
The deceased included children as well. Agitated families demanded compensation from the government with due justice. It became difficult for family members to identify their near and dear ones as people were left dismembered due to the ill-fated incident. Large forces have been commissioned on the accident site as rescue operation continues for the third consecutive day.