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train mowed down Dussehra revellers
+ was a "clear case of trespassing" and no permission for the event had been given by the railways, a senior official told PTI.
Seeking to shift the blame for the tragedy on the Amritsar administration, official sources said the local authorities were aware about the Dussehra programme and that it was attended by a senior minister's wife.
"We were not kept in the loop and we provided no permission for the event. It is a clear case of trespassing and the local administration should take responsibility," the railway official said.
Amid questions being raised in some quarters about why the train did not stop despite such a large crowd being there, the official said, "There was so much smoke that the driver was unable to see anything and he was also negotiating a curve."
"However, railways' entire machinery is at the spot and we are cooperating with local administration is rescue and relief operations" the official added.
Meanwhile, the Amritsar Municipal Corporation also maintained that no permission was given by the civic authority.
"Nobody was given the permission for organising the Dussehra event. Moreover, nobody had applied for the permission with the Amritsar Municipal Corporation," commissioner Sonali Giri said.
Medical teams have been rushed to the site of the accident in which
around 60 people, including women and children, died
+ and 72 were injured after the train coming from Jalandhar to Amritsar ran over a crowd standing across the tracks to watch the Dussehra celebration.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved Rs 2 lakh for the family of the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
Railways has also issued helpline numbers — 0183-2223171, 0183-2564485.
Railway officials also said they were unlikely to compensate the family of the dead as they were not passengers. "Any information on the dead and injured has to come from the district magistrate, not us. We are cooperating with them at all levels," the senior official said.
'No action against driver, railways not at fault'
Minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha ruled out any punitive action against the driver of the train, saying there was no negligence on the part of the national transporter and also advised people not to organise such events near tracks.
"The incident was not a railways' fault. There was no lapse on our part and no action against the driver will be initiated. People should refrain from organising such events near tracks in future. I think if precaution had been taken, the accident could have been averted," he said, adding wherever such events are held, the district administration concerned gives permission.
However, the statutory inquiry by the Commission of Railway Safety, that works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, will be conducted as per the laid down norms.
The minister said drivers are given specific instructions on where to slow down the train. "There was a curve. The driver couldn't have seen it. What should we order an inquiry about? Trains travel in speed only," said Sinha when he was asked if an inquiry would be ordered against the driver.
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