Dalbir Singh (left), his wife and daughter (right) (Photo/ANI)
Dalbir Singh had been playing different roles every year at Ramleela in Amritsar for nearly a decade. This year he was playing the role of Ravana for the first time. He had just finished his act was waiting for the burning of the effigy of the demon king.
He decided to walk towards Joda Phatak rail tracks to get a better view of the firecrackers. Dalbir suddenly noticed the train hurtling towards hundreds gathered there at full speed. He ran towards them gesturing to move away. But he was crushed by the oncoming train along with several others.
Dalbir is survived by an eight-month-old daughter and wife.
"I would appeal the government to provide job to my daughter-in-law. There should be an enquiry to ascertain what led to this accident," said Dalbir's mother Sawan Kaur as tears rolled down her face.
At least 59 people were killed and 72 injured on 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.
The train was coming from Jalandhar when the accident occurred at Joda Phatak near Amritsar, where at least 300 people were watching 'Ravana dahan' at a ground adjacent to the tracks.
WATCH: Dalbir Singh, who played Ravana at Amritsar Ramleela, killed trying to save people
