Amritsar train accident: Punjab CM announces Rs 5 lakh aid to kin of deceased
Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced compensation of Rs five lakh each to the kin of the deceased in the Amritsar train accident on Friday and said he was rushing to the spot to personally supervise rescue and relief operations.
At least 52 people were killed when a crowd of Dussehra revellers that had spilled onto railway tracks while watching the burning of Ravana effigy was run over by a train near here, officials said.
The chief minister also announced free treatment to all injured in the accident.
Rushing to Amritsar to personally supervise relief & rescue in tragic rail accident on Dussehra in Amritsar. My govt will give Rs 5 lakh to kin of each deceased & free treatment to injured in govt & pvt hospitals. District authorities have been mobilised on war footing.
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) October 19, 2018
The train was coming from Jalandhar to Amritsar when the incident occurred in the evening at Joda Phatak. At least 300 people were at the spot watching 'Ravana dahan' at a ground near the tracks.
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 already standing to watch the event, officials said.
However, two trains arrived from the opposite direction at the same time giving little opportunity to people to escape, they said Several people were mowed down by one of the trains, they added.
