Navjot Kaur Sidhu
Meanwhile, told CNN-News 18: "You will soon get all videos. I have records of all announcements. You'll very soon get the video [footage that shows] that there was an announcement from the stage not to go there. The investigation has to be logical, ethical and fair"
Shiromani Akali Dal President, Sukhbir Singh Badal
told CNN-News 18: "The present government is calling it a natural disaster instead of setting an example. This is not a natural disaster; this is massacre. No FIR is being registered on victims’ statement. An inquiry should happen out of Punjab under a high court."
"This is a clear-cut cover-up operation. Mrs. Sidhu and Sidhu sahab should be part of the FIR. Fresh FIR should be registered on the statement of victims. Statement of victims not being taken but statement of police is being taken so that it can be managed. There should be no politics… Guilty should not be spared," he added.
Shivala Railway Crossing wasvandalised by unidentified persons last night after the Amritsar train accident, reports ANI. Jaspal Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector, Government Railway Police, says, "Window panes were vandalised last night. We found it today. Cabin man was also thrashed."
Punjab CM Amarinder Singh visits injured; orders magisterial probe
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on October 20 ordered a magisterial inquiry into the Amritsar train accident after visiting injured and kin of those killed in the tragedy.... Read More
Punjab CM orders an immediate release of Rs 3 crore to DC Amritsar for payment of ex-gratia to the families of the deceased, reports ANI.
"When a tragedy occurs the entire administration gets involved. We have come here as soon as we could come. Today, the entire cabinet of Punjab is here," Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh said.
Residents stage protest at
accident siteScores of people on October 20 staged a sit-in on the railway tracks where 61 people were mowed down by a train during a Dussehra event. The protesters raised slogans against the state government and demanded action against the train driver.
One of the protesters alleged the train passed the area at a high speed and that the driver did not slow down the train despite the presence of a large crowd. (PTI)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered condolences to President of India Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Amritsar train accident where the DMU train ran over people who were watching Dussehra celebrations in Choura Bazar yesterday, claiming 58 lives, reports ANI.
JUST IN
| Due to train accident on Amritsar-Manawala section, 10 Mail Express trains, 27 passenger trains have been cancelled, 16 trains diverted, 10 Mail Express trains and 2 passenger trains are short terminated and 6 Mail Express trains, short originated, reports ANI.
JUST IN
| Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh being briefed by the Crisis Management Group on relief and rehabilitation measures in Amritsar, reports ANI.
39 of those killed in Amritsar train accident identified: Officials
Thirty-nine of the 61 people killed in the train accident near here have been identified so far, reports PTI quoting officials. The injured have been admitted to seven hospitals, they said.
Accident should not be
politicised:NavjotSinghSidhuPunjab minister and local MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu said the mowing down of 61 Dussehra revelers by a train was an accident and that nobody had done it intentionally. He, however, said there was a 'big negligence' and asked his detractors not to do politics over the incident.
"It was an unfortunate incident. I talked to few people who told me that some people were standing on the rail track and some were sitting on a stone near the track," the minister told reporters.
Heavy police deployment at train accident site in Amritsar
Punjab Police commandos and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel have been deployed at the site of a train accident, which claimed 61 lives, to manage a huge crowd on October 20. A heavy police deployment has been made to keep the situation in order. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will visit the site later in the day. (PTI)
Railways was not intimated about Dussehra event near tracks: Lohani
The railways was not intimated about a Dussehra event along the tracks that led to the deaths of at least 61 people in Amritsar, Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani said in a statement.
Railways was not intimated about Dussehra event near tracks, says Lohani
The railways was not intimated about a Dussehra event along the tracks that led to the deaths of at least 61 people in Amritsar, Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani said in a statement. He said that the accident occurred at a stretch between two stations -- Amritsar and Manawala, and not at a level crossing.
"At midsections, trains run at their assigned speed and people are not expected to be on the tracks. At midsections, there is no railway staff posted. We have staff at level crossings whose job is to regulate traffic," he said, explaining why the railways was not alerted about the congregation by its staff. (PTI)
JUST IN |
Punjab CM Amarinder Singh leaves from Delhi for Amritsar, reports CNN News18.
Train accident: 7 of the injured in critical conditions
Seven of the 70-odd people injured in a train accident near here were in critical conditions, officials said on October 20. At least 61 people were killed on October 19 evening after a crowd of Dussehra revelers that had spilled onto railway tracks while watching the burning of a Ravana effigy was run over by a train near Joda Phatak. (PTI)
The accident occurred within minutes when the train came at a high speed. The train did not blow the horn. The chief minister has ordered an investigation into the incident: Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu told ANI.
JUST IN |
Eight trains have canceled, five diverted, 10 trains short-terminated and five trains short-originated on October 20 following the accident, reports ANI.
Railways not ordering probe as it is a case of trespassing, says Ashwani Lohani
"Railways is not ordering a probe as such as this was a case of trespassing. This was the timetable of the train and it happens day in and day out. This train comes regularly," Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani tells CNN News18.
"It was a sad and an unfortunate incident. It is necessary to understand that it was an accident. There has been negligence but it was never intentional or motivated," Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhutold ANI at Civil Hospital.
About 13 trains have beenshortly terminated, five trains are short originated, six trains have been canceledand two trains are diverted following Amritsar train accident: CPRO Northern Railways told ANI.
Amritsar tragedy 'clear case of trespassing', no permission given for event: Railway officials
The gathering of people close to tracks near Amritsar where a train mowed down Dussehra revelers was a 'clear case of trespassing' and no permission for the event had been given by the railways, a senior official told PTI. Seeking to shift the blame for the tragedy on the Amritsar administration, official sources said the local authorities were aware of the Dussehra programme and that it was attended by a senior minister's wife.
At least 58 dead, 60 injured in Amritsar train accident
JUST IN | Police Commissioner Amritsar SS Srivastava told CNN News18that 58 people are dead and 60 injured in the train accident.
"This is avery unfortunate incident. An inquirywill be done and those who need to be punished will be punished and accountability will be fixed. I'm here to ensure that proper medical aid is provided to injured," Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnoretold ANI at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital.
Ashwani Lohani visits accident site in Amritsar
Earlier, Ashwani Lohani, Chairman Railway Board, also visited the site of theaccident where the DMU train ran over people who were watching Dussehra celebrations in Choura Bazar near Amritsar yesterday.
No permission was givenfor the dussehra function, it was a clear case of trespassing, top sources have confirmed to News18.
Train services on Jalandhar-Amritsar route suspended
All services on Jalandhar-Amritsar route remained suspended three hours after Dussehra revellers standing across railway tracks were mowed down by a train near Amritsar Friday evening, a railway official said.
While some trains are being diverted, many are stationed near Jalandhar, he said.
Local reports suggest that the number of dead could go into three figures, reports News18.
Relatives mourn at the site of a train accident in Amritsar. Officials said at least 60 bodies have been found andmany moreinjured have been admitted to a government hospital. (Image: PTI)
Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Member of Parliament from Amritsar said that "probe will be conducted into the incident" and added that action will be taken against those found guilty "even if it is Navjot Kaur Sidhu."
Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu's wife NavjotKaurSidhuwas the chief guest at the event which was organised near the railway track. She told media persons that this event is organisedevery year at the site.
"More than 60 injured, including children, have received medical treatment till now. Most have suffered orthopedic injuries, abrasions, head trauma and eye injuries," Dr Sandeep, Emergency Medical Officer, Civil Hospital told news agency ANI.
State mourning has been declared in Punjab tomorrow, and all offices and educational institutions will remain closed, in the view of Amritsar train accident.
Shiromani Akali Dal Leader Bikram Singh Majithia
, while offering his condolences to the families of the deceased, told CNN News 18, "NavjotKaurwas watching the people standing on the track instead of asking them to stay away from the track. Locals are blaming NavjotSingh Sidhu and his wife for this tragedy."
Centre has announced Rs. 2 lakh for the family of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has ordered an inquiry into the train accident in Amritsar which has claimed at least 50 lives and has left 30-35 people injured.
MoS Railways Manoj Sinha has reached the location, CNN News 18 has reported.
Amritsar:
Police and volunteers carry a victim from the site of a train accident in Amritsar, Friday, Oct 19, 2018. Officials said at least 60 bodies have been found and many more injured have been admitted to a government hospital. (PTI Photo)
Indian Railways issues helpline numbers for Amritsar accident:
Helpline telephone numbers at:
Manawala station- Rly -73325, BSNL - 0183-2440024;
Power Cabin ASR-Rly - 72820, BSNL - 0183-2402927;
Vijay Sahota, SSE: 7986897301 and Vijay Patel, SSE: 7973657316
New Delhi helpline number -01123342954, 01123341074, 01142622280 and1072.
Railway number -22280
Amritsar Railway helpline number :0183- 2223171, 0183 2564485
Public Relations department of thePunjab Government has issued the following in public interest:
People who want to donate blood should arrive at the Civil Hospital and Guru Nanak Hospital in Amritsar
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has cancelled all engagements in the US and is immediately returning to India, CNN News 18 has reported.
Union Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal told CNN-News18:
"How can the District Administration give permission? District Administration is responsible. Absolute laxity of the administration"
There were two tracks...people were sitting on one track. They saw a train coming on that track...there was commotion and they ran towards the other track.
At the same time a train was coming on that track as well and hence people came under the second train.
– CNN News 18
Navjot Kaur Sidhu present at the site where
accidentoccurredCongress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu's wife NavjotKaurSidhuwas the chief guest at the event which was organised near the railway track. She told media persons that this event is organisedevery year at the site.
Pinning the blame on railway officials, Kaur said that officials should have alerted the crowd. "The railways had issued warning and the trains rushed in full speed, the train should have at least slowed down," she added.
She said that the incident happened 15 minutes after she left the event.
Punjab Chief Minister
AmrinderSingh announces Rs 5 lakh compensation for kinPunjab Chief Minister Capt. Amrinder Singh has said that the injured are being taken to government as well as private hospitals. He said that the government will bear the cost of the treatment. He has also announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased.