At least 59 killed as train hits crowd in northern India

By Munish Sharma

 

 

AMRITSAR, India (Reuters) - A commuter train travelling at high speed ran through a crowd of people on the rail tracks in northern India killing at least 59 people on Friday, state officials said, making it India's worst rail disaster this year.

 

Video footage from the scene showed hundreds had gathered to watch the burning of an effigy as part of the Dussehra festival celebrations, when a commuter train ran through the crowd.

 

"We have 59 confirmed dead. The toll can rise," State police chief Suresh Arora told Reuters, adding emergency officials were still trying to ascertain the extent of the disaster on the outskirts of Amritsar in Punjab state.

 

A Reuters witness at the scene saw bodies of victims strewn around rail tracks, friends and relatives stood around in shock, many were sobbing and appeared distraught.

 

An officer in the police control room said it was hard to confirm the toll as there were dismembered body parts all over.

 

Reuters partner ANI, a domestic news agency, reported that the Chief Medical Officer of the Civil Hospital in Amritsar said 60 people were killed and at least 51 people were injured. Reuters could not immediately confirm that death toll.

 

Police said it was "freak accident" as people did not hear the train approaching amid the din of festivities and fireworks.

 

During the festival of Dussehra people all over the country set aflame large effigies of a 10-headed demon from the Hindu epic Ramayana in a ceremony that symbolizes the triumph of good over evil.

 

In Amritsar, video footage showed the effigy of the demon Ravana had just been lit and firecrackers were going off when the train ploughed into the crowd, who were craning their necks and applauding the show.

 

ANI reported that a witness at the scene said the train that ran over people was travelling at a high speed.

 

Amarinder Singh, Punjab chief minister, said he was rushing to Amritsar to supervise relief and rescue operations.

 

"We have also ordered an inquiry as to why this incident has taken place," Singh told ANI, adding he did not know why the Dussehra celebrations were being held so close to the railway tracks.

 

DECADES OF UNDERINVESTMENT

 

Singh declared a state of mourning and said all offices and educational institutions across the state would remain closed on Saturday.

 

A witness told Indian television channel Times Now that relatives of some of the deceased were picking up dead bodies by themselves and no proper rescue operations were currently taking place.

 

Bodies of victims lay strewn around the scene and local television stations showed distraught and angry people, including a weeping mother who just lost a child.

 

"Lot of students were gathered here and we can see so many unknown bodies lying around and there is not even enough light here even now," one person on the scene told a local channel.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was extremely saddened by the train accident.

 

"The tragedy is heart-wrenching," he tweeted. "My deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones and I pray that the injured recover quickly. Have asked officials to provide immediate assistance that is required."

 

India's state railways, largely built during colonial rule, have an appalling safety record after decades of underinvestment in rail safety infrastructure, as the priority has remained more on keeping fares low for the 23 million passengers who use the network daily.

 

Seven people were killed and 21 were injured earlier this month when nine coaches of the New Farakka Express derailed in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-10-20

Noisy festival for thousands of people across an unfenced railway track with high speed trains....what could possibly go wrong?

Hope the driver escaped a lynching.

A country the size of India and the only place they can find to hold a festival(?) is a railway track 

Quote

Police said it was "freak accident" as people did not hear the train approaching amid the din of festivities and fireworks.

An accident????

A terrible tragedy that could so easily have been avoided. 

13 hours ago, rooster59 said:

killing at least 59 people on Friday, state officials said, making it India's worst rail disaster this year.

This year?!? 

 

Not "all-time" or "in decades"...

...just worst this year.

 

ALL ABOARD! 

 

Googled it and not even close. There is a long and deadly history. Wow. 

 

India's deadliest rail accidents were the Bihar train disaster (500–800 killed), the Firozabad rail disaster (358 killed), the Gaisal train disaster (285 killed) and the Khanna rail disaster (212 killed).

 

 

 

 

Deeply saddened about this avoidable accident 

This is not a railway issue, it shows a total lack of care on behalf of the Indian authorities for its peoples safety.

 

How can a festival/public gathering be held anywhere near a running line of the railway where trains are travelling at linespeeds (50+ mph) be allowed? Only one result unfortunately and not just the deaths but awful injuries sustained by survivors... 

 

The mindset of people also- yeah we stood on/near a railway line... do you think a train may come...???

 

Sad but they aren't good at moving out of the way

that is a shocking video,it appreared the train was travelling at track speed ...in a civilized country ,so many ways to avoid that disaster,either the train crew would have orders in print to ''proceede at a restricted or caution speed '' through those limits or section crew protection on the ground with flags and or flares...or just common sense from the crowd....abslolutley no reason for that disaster..

Edited October 21, 20187 yr by mok199

7 minutes ago, mok199 said:

that is a shocking video,it appreared the train was travelling at track speed ...in a civilized country ,so many ways to avoid that disaster,either the train crew would have orders in print to ''proceede at a restricted or caution speed '' through those limits or section crew protection on the ground with flags and or flares...or just common sense from the crowd....abslolutley no reason for that disaster..

And there you have it "In a civilized country" unfortunatly most of India is not .

From an article in Times of India: