Amritsar train tragedy: Railways rules out probe, Punjab CM set a four-week deadline to complete the inquiry

The Railways ruled out any mistake of the gateman saying the accident site was about 400 metres ahead of the level crossing.

An injured person of the train accident undergoes treatment at a hospital in Amritsar | PTI

AMRITSAR: The railways has decided not to hold a probe against the driver of the DMU that was involved in the Amritsar rail tragedy. But Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has set a four-week deadline for completion of inquiry by Divisional Commissioner Jalandhar.

Sources said that the Railway Police has registered a case against unknown persons for trespassing into railway property.

Divisional Railway Manager Vivek Kumar refused to hold a probe into the accident and termed it a run-over on a large scale. He said that the people standing railway tracks amounted to trespassing and that the railways had not got any case registered.

"The driver was not at fault as the train was being driven on the Amritsar-Delhi railway line, which is supposed to accommodate trains running at 110 kilometre per hour. The driver after seeing the people over the tracks applied the brakes and brought down the speed to 68 kmph but it was too late.''

He ruled out any mistake of the gateman saying the accident site was about 400 metres ahead of the level crossing.

"The duty of the gateman was to manage the gate, the accident site was not properly lit and was not clearly visible from the level crossing.'' Railway board chairman Ashwani Lohani said: "the gathering of people on the rail tracks was trespassing and that railways wouldn't hold any investigation into the incident. It would be wrong to say that railways is responsible for this accident. There are two manned level-crossing on that track, both were close. It is the main line. There is no speed restriction.

The railway administration was not informed about Dussehra celebration. If we had been informed by the local authorities then we would have taken adequate measures. People were watching Dussehra celebrations from railway tracks, they need to be more alert.''

Now the railway authorities have stopped all trains from the Amritsar Railway Station has subject to security clearance from the state government. Also, more security personnel have been deployed around the railway station to avert any untoward situation arising out of the protests by people as the situation in the holy city is tense as markets remained closed. As per the train speedometer, the DMU was running at 91 kilometre per hour when the accident took place and it got damaged in the accident.

The railway officials refused to reveal the identity of the driver, who said that after noticing the people he applied the brakes to bring down the speed but it was too late. But the locals of the area say the gateman could have alerted the authorities after seeing a large number of people gathered over the railway tracks.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had set a four-week deadline for completion of inquiry by Divisional Commissioner Jalandhar into the tragic train accident in Amritsar, while urging all political parties to rise above petty politicking to join hands to mitigate the sufferings of the victims and their families.

He was talking after reviewing the situation on the ground and meeting the injured in three hospitals, besides visiting the spot where the tragedy had occurred last evening during Dussehra celebrations. Amarinder said action will be taken against those responsible for the tragedy once the inquiry report comes. The probe will cover all aspects of the tragedy, he added.

However, this was not the time to play political games on the issue, said the Chief Minister, calling upon all to join hands with the government to provide relief to the victims. The three-member Crisis Management Group, headed by Health Minister Brahm Mohindra, will camp in Amritsar as long as they are needed to monitor and assist in the relief operations, he said.

The Group, constituted by the Chief Minister last night, has Revenue Minister Sukbinder Singh Randhawa and Forest Minister, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, as its members, and is closely monitoring the situation and supervising the relief efforts.