india

Updated: Mar 04, 2019 09:38 IST

Punjab local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday addressed a function five-six yards away from railway crossing of Amritsar-Khemkaran rail line, which passes through Bhagatanwala garbage dump.

Sidhu had come under fire after Amritsar train tragedy in which 62 people, standing on railway tracks to watch Dussehra celebrations near Jaura Phatak in Amritsar in October last year, were mowed down by a speeding train and over 140 were injured.

Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur had attended the celebrations, organised by his aide Saurabh Mithu Madan, as the chief guest. Kaur reached the event late, thereby delaying the burning of Ravana’s effigy. The delay was one of the reasons behind the tragedy as the people could not spot the train in dark.

Despite that incident, the function on Sunday was organised close to the track and few people, including children, who came to attend it were seen standing on the track.

Apart from local bodies minister , MLA from Amritsar south Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla and mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu were also present on the stage of the function, organised to lay the foundation stone for giving facelift to the dump.

During the function, a DMU also passed through the track.

Though cops were deployed near the track to keep the people away from it, but despite their efforts, people were seen wandering on the track.