About sixty people were mowed down by a train that hurtled through a crowd, which had spilled onto the railways tracks while watching the burning of a Ravana effigy on Dussehra this year.
The Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS) on Thursday concluded in its inquiry that the deadly Amritsar Train Accident was caused by the negligence of persons standing near the railway tracks to witness the Dusshera Mela at Dhobi Ghat, reported news agency ANI.
CCRS also recommended that prior intimation to railway administration should be given by the district administration and organizers to hold big events like mela or rally so that railway can take proper precautions in consultation with stakeholders.
"In his report, the CCRS S K Pathak has concluded that the reason for the accident is negligence of persons who trespassed on railway tracks," official sources said.
The CCRS has noted that there were around 50 policemen on duty for the Dussehra function near Joda Pathak in Amritsar where the burning of the effigies of Ravan and others was on. "Some of the policemen tried to move the crowd away from tracks but the crowd did not listen to them," they said quoting from the report.
The probe report found that the spot of the accident was not visible till the train was within 250 meters of the crowd of revellers due to a S-curve on the route. The incident took place at around 7 p.m. and there was smoke in the atmosphere due to fire-crackers and burning of Ravan's effigy.
"Otherwise visibility on straight track with headlights on is 200 meters," the report said.
The CCRS also pointed out that the permissible maximum speed on the route was 100 kmph and at the time of the accident the train was running at a speed of 82 kmph when the loco-pilot of the DEMU saw the crowd and applied emergency brakes.
"In trial, it was seen that braking distance of the DEMU (Diesel Engine Multiple Unit) at this speed is 389 meters for similar speed," the source said.
Pathak also reported that no information was given about the Dussehra event to the railways by the organisers or the local administration.
Earlier on Wednesday, a 300-page magisterial probe report on the Amritsar train accident in which about 60 people died last month was submitted to the Punjab Home Secretary.
The report had statements of over 150 people. They included railway officials and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, who was the chief guest at the Dussehra event, held close to the railway tracks in Amritsar.
The report would now be examined by the Home Department, a senior official said.
Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who had questioned the Railways for giving a clean chit to the train driver, too had submitted his statement in writing.
Opposition Akali Dal had rejected the institution of a magisterial probe and sought registration of a criminal case against Navjot Kaur Sidhu and the event organisers.
About sixty people were mowed down by a train that hurtled through a crowd, which had spilled onto the railways tracks while watching the burning of a Ravana effigy on Dussehra this year.
The railways had initially refused to order a probe, saying it was a case of trespassing and not of negligence by its officials or the loco-pilot.
But two weeks after the accident, it said the chief commissioner of Railway safety would probe the tragedy.
Additional Director General of Police (Railways) Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota is separately conducting an inquiry into the Amritsar train accident to fix responsibility.
(With PTI inputs)
