Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 20

The Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Ferozepur, Vivek Kumar, on Saturday refused to hold an inquiry against the driver of the DMU which mowed down a Dasehra crowd in Amritsar, killing 59 and injuring 62, contending that standing on the tracks amounted to trespass.

Railway officials refused to reveal the identity of the driver, who reportedly informed the authorities about the mishap on reaching the station. He told the authorities he had applied the brakes to bring down the train speed, but in vain.

Meanwhile, plying of trains from the Amritsar railway station has been withheld, subject to security clearance by the state government. In view of angry protests by surging crowds, security has been beefed up in and around the railway station.

There is a manned railway crossing at the dual railway tracks that lead to the Amritsar railway station. Locals say the gate man could have alerted his seniors about the large crowd gathered at the tracks to watch the effigies burn. As a precautionary measure, the gate man has been removed and personnel of the Railway Protection Force put on guard.

The DRM maintained that the driver was not to blame in any way. “The train is driven on the major Amritsar-Delhi rail line meant for trains running at 110 km per hour. The driver noticed the crowds and applied the brakes, bringing down the speed to 68 km per hour, but in vain.” Sources claimed the train speedometer showed that the DMU was being driven at 91 km per hour.

Defending the employee at the railway crossing, the DRM pointed out that the accident site was about 400 metres away and that he could not possibly have noticed the crowds. “His duty is at the gate. In any case, the accident site was poorly lit and he could not have seen anything,” he said.

On an irregular boundary wall on either side of the railway lines and people accusing the Railways of not raising a wall or a wire fence to keep off inhabitant, the DRM said there was no such rule. On the clearance by Permanent Way Inspector (PWI), responsible for inspection and maintenance of tracks, he said the clearance was for the condition of tracks and not for crowds.

GRP case against unknown persons

Amritsar: The Government Railway Police (GRP) have registered a case of culpable homicide and other sections of the IPC against unknown persons. The accused could be named later during the course of investigation. An official said the police would name the suspects only on completion of a magisterial probe ordered by the CM. TNS