New Delhi, Oct 19, 2018: Scores of people were feared dead after a train ran into them in Amritsar October 19 evening.
The victims were standing on the tracks, watching the burning of Ravan’s effigy as part of the Dussehra celebartions.
The people, who were mowed down, reportedly could not hear the approaching train due to the exploding crackers.
The accident took place at Joda Phatak in Amritsar, the holy city of Sikhism.
Witnesses said the dead included children. There were reportedly around 700 people at the accident spot, according to news agency IANS.
“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,” an eyewitness told news agency ANI.
“An assessment is on. We are evacuating people,” a senior police official said.
The train was coming from Jalandhar to Amritsar.
At least 300 people were at the spot watching ‘Ravan dahan’, sources said.
More details are awaited.
Source: ndtv.com