Amritsar Train Tragedy: Punjab Congress Slams Railways, Demands Probe

Questioning how a "clean chit" was given to the train's loco-driver, the Punjab Congress slammed Indian Railways and demanded an investigation against Railways on Monday.

"We are demanding a transparent probe in Amritsar train tragedy by Indian Railways. Why they are running away from probe? They themselves are creating suspicion that they are trying to save somebody," Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar said while addressing media in Amritsar.

Over 60 people lost their lives and a score of them were injured on October 19 when a train ran over a crowd of people while they were engrossed in witnessing Dussehra festival in Amritsar.

Pointing out that the train was running at a relatively higher speed on Friday, Jhakar said, "May be this is the first case in the country where Commission of Railway Safety is not holding any inquiry. In the normal course, every train related accident is probed", and demanded for a fair probe into the case.

He further alleged that the railways did not even bother to question loco-pilot and conducted his medical check-up "which indicated that all the circumstantial evidences were destroyed in order to save him".

The Blame Game In Play

The Railways authority and Punjab Congress have got their hands in a blame game over the train tragedy.

The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) refused to probe the Amritsar tragedy in which a train on Saturday and said that it was not a “railway accident” but a case of trespassing on rail tracks.

Railways claimed that it would be wrong to say that the Railways is responsible for the tragic incident.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the tragic Amritsar train accident on October 20 and said a report will be submitted in four weeks.

CM Amarinder had said, "Let's not blame each other right now. The inquiry will decide who's at fault for the accident."

 (With Inputs From ANI and PTI)