Amritsar Train Tragedy: Let's Not Blame Each Other, Probe Will Identify Guilty, Says Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the tragic Amritsar train accident in which at least 60 people were killed and 57 injured and said a report will be submitted in four weeks.

Singh reached hospital and met the injured and kin of those killed in the tragic accident in Amritsar.

Speaking to media, Amarinder said, "Let's not blame each other right now. The inquiry will decide who's at fault for the accident." 

He also ordered the immediate release of Rs 3 crore to district collector of Amritsar for payment of ex-gratia to the families of the deceased. "The administration is on its toes," he said.

At least 60 people were killed Friday evening after a crowd of Dussehra revellers that had spilled onto railway tracks while watching the burning of a Ravana effigy was run over by a train near Joda Phatak in Amritsar.

Earlier, expressing grief over the loss of life, Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu had urged all political parties to avoid indulging in mudslinging.

Sidhu, who visited the civil hospital in Amritsar to meet the bereaved families, said the accident was an outcome of negligence and that it was not motivated.

Navjot Sidhu said, "This is a very unfortunate accident. These people have come here to celebrate a festival and this tragedy had taken away loved ones of many families. It is important to understand that this was an accident. There were people standing on the railway track and some were sitting on the stones around it. When the Raavan effigy was burnt, few more people stepped back and came towards railway track. The train came in high speed and no horns were heard due to crackers. This was negligence and no one actually had an intent or motive of it to happen."

Sidhu also asserted that his wife and Punjab Congress leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu immediately rushed to the hospital to attend to victims and it is uncalled for at this moment to indulge in political mudslinging.

He said, "This is not the time to indulge in political blaming. The minimum that we can do is offer help to those injured and fasten the relief work. This is an irreparable loss. An accident should not be turned political."

(With agency inputs)