Amritsar train accident LIVE UPDATES: People watching Dusshera celebration mowed down by train, over 50 dead

Updated Oct 19, 2018 | 20:24 IST | Times Now Digital

Amritsar news: The incident took place when a large number of people were watching the Ravan effigy going in flames while standing along the railway tracks when the train mowed them down.

Photo Credit: Twitter

Major train mishap in Amritsar

  

Amritsar: In a shocking and terrible disaster, more than 50 people were crushed by a train at Amritsar in Punjab on Friday while they were watching the burning of Ravan effigy on the occasion of Dussehra. The accident took place near Joda Phatak area of Choura Bazar in Amritsar.

The incident took place when a large number of people were watching the Ravan effigy going in flames while standing along the railway tracks when the train mowed them down. A preliminary report suggested that people could not hear the hooting of the train because of the exploding crackers.

Amritsar train accident today: Here are the Live updates

8:21 pm: Locals alleged that Navjot Kaur Sidhu, the wife of Punjab Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, was the chief guest at the event. They further claimed that Navjot Kaur Sidhu left the venue as soon as the incident took place.

8:20 pm: In a statement, the CPRO Northern railways said that as per initial information, at gate number 27 between Amritsar and Mananwala, "as Dusshera celebration and Ravan Dahan were taking place, some incident had occurred and people started rushing towards closed gate number 27 while a DMU train number 74943 was passing the closed gate. The incidental information is being collected."8:17 pm: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath tweets:

8:15 pm: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweets: "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".

8:10 pm: An eyewitness says 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."

8:05 pm: There are more than 50 casualties. We are evacuating people, injured taken to the hospital, says Amritsar Police Commissioner SS Srivastava. 

7:50 pm: Several injured have been rushed to nearby hospitals. A number of disturbing images are surfacing. As per an eyewitness, a train travelling at a fast speed mowed down several people during Dussehra celebrations.

7:35 pm: The toll is expected to rise over 100. There were reportedly around 500-700 people at the spot. The moment the effigy of Ravan caught fire, crackers started flying around. While trying to escape the crackers, people frantically started running on the railway tracks and could not see the approaching trains from either side of the tracks.