At least 50 people were killed Friday 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 here, officials said.
The train was coming from Jalandhar to Amritsar when the incident occurred at Joda Phatak.
At least 300 people were at the spot watching 'Ravana dahan' at a ground near the tracks.
#WATCH The moment when the DMU train 74943 stuck people watching Dussehra celebrations in Choura Bazar near #Amritsar (Source:Mobile footage-Unverified) pic.twitter.com/cmX0Tq2pFE
— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2018
Sub Divisional Magistrate Amritsar I Rajesh Sharma said 50 bodies have been found and at least 50 injured have been admitted to a government hospital.
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 said.
The railways has issued helpline numbers for the kin of those injured and dead in Amritsar train accident on Friday, officials said.
These numbers can be used reach for information on the incident -- 01832223171 and 01832564485.
Telephone numbers at Manawala station are 0183-2440024, 0183-2402927 and Ferozpur's helpline number is 01632-1072.
MoS Manoj Sinha, Chairman Railway Board Ashwani Lohani, GM/NR Vishwesh Chaubey will take off from Delhi by an Air Force plane at 11pm.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, who is in the US, is cancelling all his engagements there to rush back. He tweeted, "Railways is conducting immediate relief and rescue operations."
"Shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic train incident that occurred in Amritsar. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. I pray for the injured to recover quickly. Railways is conducting immediate relief and rescue operations," Goyal tweeted from the US where he had gone to attend an event.
While Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced Rs 5 lakh for kin of each deceased and free treatment for the injured, officials said there was no decision as yet on any compensation from the railways.
Railway officials termed the dead as "trespassers" and said there was no decision so far on any compensation from the national transporter as they were not passengers.
The death toll, according to local officials could reach 100.
The accident comes days after five people died and around 35 injured after five coaches and the engine of the New Farakka Express derailed near Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh on October 12.
