Amritsar train accident: The speeding train mowed down at least 50 revellers as it crushed and blew away anybody who came in its way. Dussehra celebrations Friday turned tragic in Punjab's Amritsar as a train ploughed through people standing across the tracks watching and revelling as the effigy of Ravana went up in smoke. The speeding train mowed down at least 61 revellers as it crushed and blew away anybody who came in its way. At least 300 people were at the spot watching 'Ravana dahan' at a ground near the tracks. Officials said at least 50 were also injured in the incident that took place at Joda Phatak.They said the train was travelling from Jalandhar to Amritsar. The people were in shock and disbelief as they narrated the incident. "The driver didn't blow the horn," alleged one of the witnesses. HERE ARE THE MAJOR REACTIONS # President Ram Nath Kovind "Shocked to hear about the tragedy on rail tracks in Amritsar, Punjab. Understand Indian Railways and local authorities are taking steps to help affected people". # Prime Minister Narendra Modi Extremely saddened by the train accident in Amritsar. The tragedy is heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones and I pray that the injured recover quickly. Have asked officials to provide immediate assistance that is required. # Rahul Gandhi The train accident in Punjab in which over 50 people have died is shocking. I urge the state government & Congress workers to provide immediate relief at the accident site. My condolences to the families of those who have died. I pray that the injured make a speedy recovery. # Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Rushing to Amritsar to personally supervise relief & rescue in tragic rail accident on Dussehra in Amritsar. My govt will give Rs 5 lakh to kin of each deceased & free treatment to injured in govt & pvt hospitals. District authorities have been mobilised on war footing. # Omar Abdullah What a mindless & entirely avoidable tragedy! Watching this video you’d be hard pressed to imagine the scale of the tragedy considering the way people are nonchalantly filming away on their phones even after the train has run over people! # Rajnath Singh Pained beyond words at the loss of precious lives due to a train tragedy during Dussehra festivities in #Punjab. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased and prayers with the injured, tweets Home Minister Rajnath Singh. # Sharad Yadav It is very sad that more than 30 persons died in d train accident when some people ran towards railway track suddenly during d course of Ravan being burnt in Chaura Bazar, Amritsar. Heartfelt condolences to d bereaved families. # Piyush Goyal Shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic train incident that occurred in #Amritsar. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. I pray for the injured to recover quickly. Railways is conducting immediate relief and rescue operations, tweets Piyush Goyal. # Navjot Kaur Sidhu The effigy of Ravan was burnt&I had just left the site when the incident happened. Priority is to get the injured treated. Dussehra celebrations are held there every year. People who are doing politics over this incident should be ashamed. # Arvind Kejriwal Extremely sad news coming about a major train accident near Amritsar I appeal to all our volunteers in the area to help authorities in the relief work and provide whatever help we can in this moment of crisis. Latest India News<doc-sep>Extremely saddened by the train accident in Amritsar. The tragedy is heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences to the… https://t.co/6jiATjWfM6 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 1539961804000 I spoke to Home Secretary of Punjab and DGP of the state regarding the train accident in Amritsar. They are rushing… https://t.co/4QOAIYrLBV — राजनाथ सिंह (@rajnathsingh) 1539960767000 May God give strength to the bereaved and injured. Railways is proving all possible assistance at the site. I have… https://t.co/GWnWJ46ShZ — Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) 1539965910000 Shocked to hear about the tragedy on rail tracks in Amritsar, Punjab. Understand Indian Railways and local authorit… https://t.co/jziHlFX7bp — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) 1539961597000 We will do everything possible to assist the injured. Have directed the district administration to leave no stone u… https://t.co/DWtz5Kjxev — Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) 1539962719000 Read story in Marathi Shocking footage: Amritsar train mishap that killed over 60 AMRITSAR: Dussehra celebrations turned tragic in Amritsar on Friday evening when a speeding train ran over hundreds of people who were watching Ravana’s effigy going up in flames. At least 61 people were feared dead according to initial estimates with authorities saying that the fatalities could rise.The tragedy took place at the Joda Fatak area where a large crowd had gathered to watch the fireworks. As the firecrackers went off, the organisers of the Dussehra celebration asked people to move back. A large number of people moved towards the railway tracks. Seven of the 70-odd people injured in a train accident near here were in critical conditions, officials said on Saturday.At the same time, the Jalandhar-Amritsar DMU was crossing the spot. Police officials said that the revelers could not hear the train approaching because of the loud explosions from the effigy and were run over by the train. Eyewitnesses said the Amritsar-Howrah train had crossed the spot minutes earlier. Had the two trains crossed at the same time, the casualties would have been much higher.Amritsar commissioner of police SS Srivastava confirmed the death toll. He said they were trying to clear the bodies from the tracks and take the injured to nearby hospitals.Amritsar deputy commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said ambulance services had been pressed into service to take the injured to the hospitals. “All hospitals in the city have been alerted about the injured patients and ambulances from the neighbouring districts have also been requisitioned to carry the injured and dead,” he said.Dussehra was being celebrated in the Amritsar (East) constituency represented by Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. His wife and former MLA from the area, Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, was at the function and left before the mishap. “I had left the spot only moments earlier after seeing that all arrangements were in place,” she told reporters after the tragedy. “I rushed back as soon as I got a call about the accident.”Sources said that when the effigy was being burnt, the spectators pushed back around 100 feet on to the railway tracks as they feared that the burning effigy would fall on them.As news of the tragedy emerged, people gathered in large numbers at the accident spot. Many of them alleged negligence on part of both the organisers of the Dussehra celebrations as well as the state government for not making adequate safety arrangements given that the railway tracks were right next to the celebration site. They blamed the administration and politicians for failing to protect them.Local MLA and Punjab minister OP Soni visited the spot after the tragedy where he had to face the anger of the people.Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has directed home secretary NS Kalsi, health secretary Satish Chandra and ADGP (law and order) Hardeep Singh Dhillon to immediately rush to Amritsar. The chief minister would fly to Amritsar on Saturday to assess the situation.Amarinder tweeted, “Rushing to Amritsar to personally supervise relief & rescue in tragic rail accident on Dussehra in Amritsar. My govt will give Rs 5 lakh to kin of each deceased & free treatment to injured in govt & pvt hospitals. District authorities have been mobilised on war footing.”Punjab BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Shwait Malik, who is a former mayor of Amritsar, said, “It is a very unfortunate incident. It should not have happened.”<doc-sep>A celebration of Vijaya Dashami and Dussehra turned into mourning in Amritsar, Punjab on Friday (October 19). The number of people including children is not certain but reports suggest more than 60 deaths and many injuries. The incident took place at Chaura Bazar on Pathankot-Amritsar route of the Northern Railway. The place of effigy burning was less than 100 metres, as reports say, from the nearby railway lines. The burning of Ravana's effigy was organised by some local Congress leaders. People gather at the train accident site in Amritsar | Photo from ANI Some of the eyewitnesses were quoted as saying that the celebration was not held at this ground last year due to its proximity to railway lines. Questions regarding permission for organising such an event are yet not settled. According to the original schedule of the Ravana Dahan (the burning of the effigy of Ravana) was slated for 6.15 pm. Some reports also said that the scheduled time was 6.45 pm. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, the wife of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, was the chief guest of the Dussehra celebration at the Chaura Bazar ground. Navjot Singh Sidhu was out of Punjab to attend some party meeting. Navjot Kaur Sidhu was an added attraction at the Chaura Bazar Dussehra celebration. Navjot Kaur Sidhu comes out of a hospital after enquiring about the well being of train accident victims in Amritsar | Photo from PTI Hundreds of people had gathered to witness the symbolic victory of good over evil. The videos shot from the mobile phone cameras of the spectators show a huge crowd. Three railway lines pass at the site of the incident. Presence of three tracks here suggests that it is a very busy rail route. It has emerged that chief guest Navjot Kaur Sidhu was late for the event leading to delay in burning the effigy of Ravana. The effigy was burnt at around 7 pm. The videos show that when a full-grown fire had engulfed the effigy, a speeding train passed on the nearby track. The signature whistle of the train was not heard in the videos shared on social media. Crackers stuffed in the effigy of Ravana were bursting with full might and the noise was high. Suddenly a distinct light appears on few faces seen in the videos. People try to flee helter-skelter but they did not have more than a second or two to escape from the crowd that had gathered. Videos next show people crying and wailing. Relatives of victims of train accident mourn at civil Hospital at Joda Phatak in Amritsar | Photo from PTI A few reports also claimed that the effigy of Ravana leaned and fell in the direction of the railway tracks forcing a stream of people run towards the rail lines. This caused more people occupying the tracks. JODA PHATAK The railway lines are fenced by a manned gate called Joda Phatak, officially, the gate number 27 on Pathankot-Amritsar section between Manawala and Amritsar. Videos show that people are on both sides of the railway tracks and also on the tracks when the victims were mowed down by a speeding DMU train number 74943. The gate was closed. But people were on the track. Joda Phatak is between Mananwala and Amritsar railway stations. Some of the eyewitnesses claimed that Navjot Kaur Sidhu was still there at the Chaura Bazar ground when effigy was burnt and at least 60 spectators were mauled to death by the train. Sidhu, however, did not visit the site of the incident. She, though, claimed that the incident took place after she had left the venue. Minutes after the DMU train passed killing people on the track, another train passed on the parallel track. But it did not cause any further casualty. Read more on Amritsar train accident: Amritsar train accident Live Updates: Nearly 60 dead, Punjab CM orders inquiry 60 dead in Amritsar train tragedy on Dussehra: Here is what exactly happened Railways releases helpline numbers for Amritsar train tragedy Amritsar train tragedy: Amarinder Singh announces Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia, orders probe PHOTOS | Amritsar train tragedy ***WARNING | Following video contains content which might be disturbing for some viewers*** WATCH | Disturbing moments of train running over people in Amritsar<doc-sep>Harpreeet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: At least 61 people, including women and children, were mowed down by speeding trains that left 72 others injured near Amritsar on Friday, as Dussehra revelry spilled on the adjacent railway tracks.Tragedy struck around 6.45 pm at Dhobi Ghat near Jaura Phatak railway crossing at gate number 27 between Amritsar and Manawala when revellers were watching an effigy of Ravana burn about 200 ft away while standing between railway tracks. #WATCH The moment when the DMU train 74943 stuck people watching Dussehra celebrations in Choura Bazar near #Amritsar (Source:Mobile footage-Unverified) pic.twitter.com/cmX0Tq2pFE — ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2018 They were perhaps distracted by the noise of firecrackers as the Nakodar Jalandhar DMU No. 74943, a local passenger train, came speeding in. The happy crowd were shooting videos of the event when the first train hit them. As another train arrived from the opposite direction at the same time, people on the track had little opportunity to escape.There were about 500 people at the spot when the accident occurred. The accident set off a stampede with people running helter-skelter for safety. #Punjab: At gate no. 27 b/w Amritsar & Manawala. As Dussehra celebration was taking place some incident had occurred& people started rushing towards closed gate number 27 while a DMU train number 74943 was passing the closed gate: CPRO Northern Railway; Visuals from accident site pic.twitter.com/TMJILYC6Or — ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2018 It all happened in a flash and dismembered body parts lay strewn on the blood-soaked ground. Many bodies could not even be identified. Wails of people filled the air as friends and relatives frantically looked for their near and dear ones. Severed bodies, including that of many children, were still lying on the accident site hours after the incident with angry people not allowing the authorities to remove them. “I have lost my minor child. I want him back,” an inconsolable mother wailed. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of state local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu was the chief guest of the event. Locals alleged she left the venue moments after the accident.Punjab will observe a day of mourning on Saturday. All offices and educational institutions will remain closed. READ | Punjab CM Amarinder Singh announces Rs 5 lakh aid to kin of deceased Administration, Dussehra panel blamed “As Dussehra celebration were under way, people started rushing towards closed gate number 27 while a DMU train number 74943 was passing by,” said a railway official. An eyewitness said, “The administration and the Dussehra committee are at fault. They should have raised an alarm when the train was approaching; they should have made sure the train halted or slowed down.” “There were no barricades near the railway tracks and people were forced to see the Dussehra ceremony standing on the tracks,” said another eyewitness. Amirtsar Police Commissioner SS Srivastava said, “There are more than 50 casualties. We are evacuating people and the injured are being taken to the hospital.” Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Amritsar I, Rajesh Sharma, said 50 bodies had been found and at least 50 injured had been admitted to a government hospital. #Punjab: Eyewitness say, "The administration and the Dussehra committee are at fault, they should have raised an alarm when the train was approaching, they should have made sure that the train halts or slows down." #Amritsar pic.twitter.com/xdwXpr0L1H — ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2018 Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has ordered a probe into the accident. He was scheduled to leave for Israel on Friday evening, but postponed his trip and will fly to Amritsar in the morning to assess the damage and meet families of the victims. ALSO READ | Railway officials rush to train accident site Fifty bodies have been found so far| PTI Acting on the Chief Minister’s directives, Rehabilitation Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria and Health Minister Brahm Mohindra have already gone to Amritsar. The Home Secretary and the Health Secretary, along with the DGP, Law and Order, have also left for Amritsar .He announced ex-gratia compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased .The Amritsar administration has set up a helpline (No. 01832421050).<doc-sep>
People gather at train accident site in Amritsar | Photo from ANI At least 60 people were killed and 72 injured on Friday evening (October 19) after a train ran into a crowd of Dussehra revellers who were watching the burning of Ravan’s effigy in Punjab’s Amritsar. There was an outpouring of grief from across the country with the Dussehra mood turning sombre as India realised the scale of the tragedy. HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED The annual Dussehra celebrations were to conclude with the burning of Ravan's effigy near Joda Phatak in Amritsar. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, former MLA and wife of Punjab Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu was the chief guest. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of Punjab minister of Tourism Navjot Singh Sidhu | PTI photo Joda Phatak is a manned crossing, called so because there are two crossings. The Pathankot railway line and the Jalandhar railway line meet just after Joda Phatak where they are just metres apart. This area lies on the outskirts of the city. Joda Phatak is between Mananwala and Amritsar railway stations An open area next to the railway tracks is the site for an annual Ravan effigy burning . . Ravan was to turn into ashes by 6 pm. The train was expected to cross the tracks just before 7 pm. It reaches Amritsar station at 7 pm. But the Ravan Dahan was delayed because Mrs Sidhu, the chief guest, was late as she had to be present at other similar venues. because Mrs Sidhu, the chief guest, was late as she had to be present at other similar venues. The ground was crowded and some people were standing along the railway tracks because it offered them a higher vantage point . . Organisers were happy to tell Mrs Sidhu how so many had gathered to see her, so many that some were spilling on to the railway tracks. The moment the effigy was lit, firecrackers began shooting off towards the people. Mrs Sidhu was escorted away by her security guards even as a tragedy unfolded on the tracks. People were watching Dussehra celebrations near a train track in Amritsar's Choura Bazar | Photo from ANI As people retreated from the effigy, many of them were pushed towards the railway tracks from where many were already watching the ceremonies. Many of them were busy recording the effigy go up in flames with their mobile phone cameras. the effigy go up in flames with their mobile phone cameras. In the noise of the crackers, joyous cheers from the crowd and the ensuing commotion , people did not notice that the Jalandhar-Amritsar DMU was speeding towards them. The train had left Manawala railway station just minutes ago and was racing towards Amritsar, its destination. , people did not notice that the Jalandhar-Amritsar DMU was speeding towards them. The train had left Manawala railway station just minutes ago and was racing towards Amritsar, its destination. Several of them were thrown off the spot and many came under the wheels. Moments later, severed body parts and bodies were strewn along the tracks. People surround bodies of victims lying on railway track after Amritsar train accident | REUTERS People rushed to take the injured to the government hospital. Some were taken to the Guru Nanak Hospital. Hospital staff move stretcher with injured man after train struck crowd in Amritsar | REUTERS The final death toll will have to await the dawn . But at least 60 bodies have been counted. More than 70 are being treated at different hospitals. Some are critically injured. So the death toll is feared to rise. . But at least 60 bodies have been counted. More than 70 are being treated at different hospitals. Some are critically injured. So the death toll is feared to rise. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was to leave for Tel Aviv on an official visit to Israel. That trip stands cancelled and he will be in Amritsar on Saturday morning. Rail Minister Piyush Goyal is in the US. He is rushing back too. May God give strength to the bereaved and injured. Railways is proving all possible assistance at the site. I have cancelled all engagemnts in USA and immediately returning back to India. Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) October 19, 2018 Navjot Singh Sidhu was in Kozhikode, Kerala, for a party function. He too will be in Amritsar in the morning.