Friday, March 29, 2024

Don’t politicise Amritsar train accident, wife was helping injured: Navjot Sidhu

Date:

Amritsar, October 20: Punjab minister and local MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu said the mowing down of 61 Dussehra revellers by a train in Amritsar was an accident and nobody had done it intentionally. He, however, said there was a “big negligence” and asked his detractors not to do politics over the incident.

Image Source

“It was an unfortunate incident. I talked to a few people who told me that some people were standing on the rail track and some were sitting on a stone near the track,” the minister told reporters.

“When the effigy of Ravana was lit, some people retreated. The train came with great speed without blowing horn and people did not come to know (about the approaching train), and it happened in a matter of just one or two seconds,” he said.

Defending his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, who was accused of leaving the accident site without bothering about the victims, the state culture minister said she was attending to injured at the hospital when allegations were being levelled against her.

“When I talked to my wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu on Friday, she was in a hospital,” he said. “I fought elections from here because of my wife. She has been working here. On Friday night, when accusations were being levelled against her, she was with patients. She called me up on Friday. She came to know about the incident before reaching home. She then immediately reached here,” Sidhu said.

Meanwhile, the Congress leader visited local hospitals and met the patients and their relatives Saturday morning. Sidhu said when he learnt about the accident, he was shocked. He added that he was away to Calicut for a function on Friday.

Refusing to point fingers, the minister said, “Nobody has done it deliberately. However, there is a big negligence (behind this incident)… when I talk about negligence, some people did not even understand their responsibility. Nobody had any intention to do this. There was no motive.”

Sidhu added that the incident was an irreparable loss. He also requested not to give the incident a “political shape”.

“The question is that the accident should not be given political shape. It is an accident. Do not make false allegations and do politics on this issue,” Sidhu said.

At least 61 people were killed and 72 injured on Friday evening after a crowd of Dussehra revellers that had spilled onto railway tracks while watching burning of Ravana effigy was run over by a train near here, officials said.

The train was coming from Jalandhar when the accident occurred at Joda Phatak near Amritsar, where at least 300 people were watching ‘Ravana dahan’ at a ground adjacent to the tracks.

People shouted slogans against Navjot Kaur Sidhu, who was present as chief guest during the event, alleging she left the venue after the accident. She, however, said she had left the place before the accident took place and rushed to the hospital the moment she came to know of it.

SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia had also accused the former local MLA of “running away from the accident site”.

Source Hindustan Times

Discussions

Discussions

Punjabi Khurki
Punjabi Khurki
Punjab is no longer just a state but a State of Mind: A way to live!! ...So Let's Burrraaah with Punjabi Khurki!

Share post:

Subscribe

Advertisementspot_img
Advertisementspot_img

Popular

More like this
Related

ED chief Sanjay Mishra gets tenure extension from SC till September 15

New Delhi, July 27: The Supreme Court on Thursday...

Patiala tops list of villages hit by recent floods; 27,286 evacuations carried out

Chandigarh, July 27: The State Government machinery has been...

Mann slams Modi govt, seeks President’s Rule in Manipur

New Delhi/ Chandigarh, July 27: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant...

All pet shops, dog breeders in Punjab be registered with Animal Welfare Board

Chandigarh, July 27: In a bid to ensure the...