Train disaster families protest amid anger

China Daily | Updated: 2018-10-22 08:14

AMRITSAR, India - Angry relatives staged a protest on Saturday on the tracks where a speeding train plowed into crowds watching fireworks, killing about 60 people in the latest disaster to bedevil India's railway network.

The Jalandhar-Amritsar express was hurtling at 90 kilometers per hour when it hit scores of people who had gathered on the tracks late on Friday to get a view of a firework-packed effigy of the demon king Ravana for a Hindu festival.

Many of the victims were dismembered beyond recognition and police said it would take several days to complete the identification of the dead.

Some desperate families went from hospital to hospital in the northern city of Amritsar on Saturday looking for missing relatives, while the first funerals of some victims were held.

Hardeep Singh, chief medical officer for Amritsar, told AFP 59 deaths had been confirmed and 90 people had been injured, with seven in critical condition.

Singh said only 25 bodies had been identified so far. Amritsar's main hospital did not have enough space in its morgue, and some corpses were laid outside.

Most of the casualties were migrant workers, R.C. Yadav, former chairman of Punjab state's Workers Welfare Board said on Saturday.

Most "of those killed are these poor workers", Yadav said, adding that some earned as little as 7,000 rupees ($95) per month.

The disaster led to new demands for safety reforms to India's accident-plagued railway system, which records thousands of deaths each year.

Sporadic protests broke out near the accident site, with scores of protesters calling for action against the local authorities and the train driver who was questioned by police on Saturday.

But federal junior minister for Indian Railways ruled out any punitive action against his staff, including the driver, saying the national carrier was not at fault.

"There was no lapse on our part and no action against the driver will be initiated," Manoj Sinha told reporters in New Delhi, adding "trains travel in speed only".

Meanwhile, State Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has instituted an inquiry into the tragedy, the report of which is expected to come in four weeks.

"We will fix the responsibility on the culprits on the basis of the report of the probe, and thereafter we will take a suitable action against them. At this juncture we do not want to indulge in any blame game," said the chief minister.

Condolence messages over the tragedy came from different countries.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted "Saddened to learn of the tragic train accident in Amritsar, India. Condolences go to the families of the deceased". Amritsar shares border with Pakistan.

In his message to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin said "I offer my deepest sympathies over tragic consequences of an accident on railways in Punjab. I ask to convey my words of sympathy & support to families& friends of killed people& to wish soonest recovery to those injured."

AFP - Xinhua - AP