Amritsar train accident: No action yet against organiser of Dussehra function

CCTV footage of Saurabh Madan leaving his house in an SUV surfaced on the social media on Sunday. His house has been locked ever since the accident.

The Punjab police and the Government Railway Police (GRP) have not initiated any action against Saurabh Madan alias Mithu, the organiser of Friday’s Dussehra function at Dhobi Ghat in Amritsar. A train had ploughed through a crowd gathered for the function and killed 59 people.

Relatives stand next to the burning pyres of Rammilan, who was killed when a train ploughed into a crowd of revellers, at a cremation ground in Amritsar on October 20, 2018. (AFP)

Family members of the victims have blamed Saurabh Madan, son of local Congress councillor Vijay Madan, for the tragedy. Closed-circuit television footage of Saurabh Madan leaving his house in an SUV surfaced on the social media on Sunday. His house has been locked ever since the accident. Angry people even threw stones at the Madans house.

The police have not questioned Saurabh Madan, who has now gone underground. “The accident took place on the railway track which is under the jurisdiction of GRP. We cannot do anything. Secondly, chief minister Amarinder Singh has ordered a magisterial inquiry in the case,” said Amritsar police commissioner S S Srivastava.

The GRP has registered an FIR against unknown persons for negligence and culpable homicide. “The matter is under investigation,” GRP Amritsar station house officer Balbir Singh said.

HT repeatedly tried to call Saurabh Madan over the phone but to no avail.