At least 60 people were killed and 77 injured on October 19 evening after a crowd of Dussehra revellers that had spilled onto railway tracks while watching burning of Ravana effigy was run over by a train near Amritsar, officials said.

The train was coming from Jalandhar when the accident occurred at Joda Phatak near Amritsar, where at least 300 people were watching ‘Ravana dahan’ at a ground adjacent to the tracks.

Sub Divisional Magistrate Rajesh Sharma said at least 60 people, including women and children, have died and at least 77 injured have been admitted to a Amritsar hospital.

However, Raveen Thukral, media advisor to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, said initial reports suggest the accident occurred during a stampede as people rushed towards the tracks when crackers burst during the burning of the Ravana effigy. The reports indicate that train crashed through the crowd on the tracks at that time, he added.

But, a video showed people were run over by the train when they were watching the Ravana effigy burn, with many of them also seen filming the celebration. As the effigy was lit and the fireworks went off, a section of the crowd started retreating towards the tracks where a large number of people were standing to watch the event, officials said.

Two trains arrived from the opposite direction at the same time giving little time to people to escape, they said. Several people were mowed down by one of the trains.

Source: thehindu.com

BDST: 1040 HRS, OCT 20, 2018
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