Amritsar train accident: In a flash, train left behind heaps of bodies, survivors recall the horror

The Dussehra celebrations turned into sorrows for a number of families, a majority of them were migrants. The speeding train mowed down members of their family including children, elderly, women and men who had assembled to watch Ravan Dahan at Jodda Phatak (twin level crossings) adjacent in Dhobi Ghat area in Amritsar on Friday evening.

Some of the entire families were wiped out in this excruciating train mishap that not only brought the functioning of local administration under scanner but also provided the political parties an opportunity to politicise this bizarre incident.

Everything was finished in less than 10 seconds as the killer train left behind heaps of mutilated bodies and blood strains all around, Viney Thakur, an eyewitness recalls. Wailing and cries filled the space and those who were lucky survivors were seen searching for their near and dear ones, he said.

Rambling restlessly from one place to another in Gurunanak Hospital, Amritsar, Vijay Kumar, a resident of the same locality, was inquiring from the hospital staff about his 18-year-old son Manish Kumar who had gone missing after the tragic accident. Manish along with his brother Ashish had gone to watch the Ravan Dahan at Jodda Phatak but did not return, he recalled.

Narrating his horror, Ashish said they were watching the burning of the Ravan effigy at the Dussehra function adjacent to the railway track. As the fireworks went off, there was a stampede like situation in which he lost contact with Manish. His body remains were later recovered and consigned to flames, this afternoon, he added with a choking throat.

It was a black day for Azamgarh residents Rakesh and his brother-in-law Jaiprakash, who along with their three friends- Guddu, Kamlesh and Milan- had gone to watch the Dussehra celebrations.

While Kamlesh and Milan were crushed to death under the speeding train, Guddu sustained serious head injuries. “We were standing on the railway track to have a better view of the event, said Rakesh, who is under treatment at Amritsar Civil Hospital. He recalled that the DJ and fireworks were on a blasting sound at the function.

“We all were standing together. While the Ravan effigy was set afire, the crowd started moving out for safety towards the railway line and we, too, ran for the safety. The noise was of so high intensity that crowd failed to notice the speeding train and got killed. Many children and women got stuck in the stampede and were badly crushed,” he claimed.

Even a stage artiste Dalbir Singh, who played the role of Ravana in this particular Ram Leela, lost his life while trying to save certain onlookers, who were run over by the speeding train at the railway track.

Inconsolable mother of Dalbir told that her son was playing different roles in the Ram Lila for over a decade and was the only bread earner the family. She had never thought of such a black day. His father was also crushed under a train on the same track almost 10 years ago.

She has also demanded a government job for Dalbir Singh’s widow. The news was like a bolt from the blue for his wife who looking completely lost held their 8-month old daughter tight.

Recalling the terrible evening, Malkiat Singh, an eyewitness recalls, that there were mutilated bodies scattered everywhere after the speeding train crossed the spot. The railway lines were smeared with blood and pieces of torn clothes all around, he said.