In the Amritsar train tragedy, at least 58 Dussehra revelers including women and children were mowed down by a speeding train in Punjab on Friday while they were watching the burning of Ravan effigy. Former MLA Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu was the chief guest at the Ramleela event. The accident took place near Joda Phatak area of Choura Bazar in Amritsar.
The train was en route from Jalandhar to Amritsar. Over 700 people had reportedly gathered to witness the burning of the fire-filled effigy of the demon King Ravana.
There are conflicting reports as to why people were standing on the rail tracks: according to some accounts, they were asked by the organizers to move backwards while others say as the fireworks went off, some people retreated towards the tracks to avoid the flames.
Commenting on the incident, area legislator and Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu told a news channel from Bengaluru that the death toll was disturbingly high. His wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu was the chief guest at the Dussehra event which took place at around 7 pm.
