Amritsar
The Punjab and Railway Police on Saturday reportedly questioned the driver of the train that crushed at least 61 people to death here while they were watching the burning of a Ravana effigy from a railway track.
Punjab Police officials said the DMU (diesel multiple unit) driver had been detained at the Ludhiana railway station and was being questioned regarding the incident that took place on Friday night at the Jora Phatak near Dhobi Ghat within Amritsar city.
Sources said the driver claimed that he was given the green signal and all clear and had no idea that hundreds of people were standing on the tracks when the train crossed the area.
No action has so far been initiated against the organisers of the Dusshera event, who are leaders of the ruling Congress in Punjab. Police sources said the organisers had gone underground.
Railway officials were also gathering information from the railway linemen posted along the tracks near the Jora Phatak area who failed to inform the DMU driver regarding the presence of over 700 people on the tracks who were watching the burning of the Ravan and other effigies during Dussehra celebrations.