Event organiser cries foul, says train mishap an 'act of god'

Sourabh Madan Mithu, who organised the Dussehra event that ended with the death of 59 spectators on a railway track in Amritsar, on Monday cried foul and said that he had taken all preventive measures and permissions before organising the event.

Mithoo, released a video narrating his ordeal. He also alleged that a conspiracy is being hatched to defame him.

In a one and a half minute long video message recorded from an unknown location, Mithoo clarified that he had alerted people standing on the railway tracks to vacate the premises, but the announcements in the connection was over looked by the spectators who were engrossed in watching the Dussehra fireworks.

Grieving the loss, Mithoo said that the accident was 'an act of god'.

In his video message, he said, "I am deeply pained. We celebrated Dussehra and took all the permission required. Keeping in mind the safety of people we also demarcated a 20 feet safety area around the Ravan's effigy. We did not miss anything from our side. About 100 policemen of Punjab police were also deployed at the spot. Water tanker and fire brigade were also made available."

"Two- four miscreant people are taking out their personal grudges by trying to defame me. We have also made announcements for 5-7-10 times requesting people to not to stand on the railway track. I request everyone with folded hands that I and my whole family are deeply pained with the incident," he added.

In his video he also underscored that the Dussehra celebrations were organised within the boundary of the Dhobi Ghat ground, which was separated from the railway tracks by a 8-10 feet wall.

"We had organised the Dussehra festival on the ground within the boundary and not at the railway tracks. It was not as if we had put chairs on the railway tracks, then it could have been right to blame us. The Dhobi Ghat ground where the Dussehra celebrations were happening is separated from the railway track by an 8-10 feet wall. The people were standing on the railway track to watch Dussehra and no one realised when the train came. It was more of an act of God and I have no fault in it," he said.

At least 50 people lost their lives and as much as 57 sustained injuries in the accident that took place in Choura Bazar near Jhoda Phatak area of Amritsar after a train ran over the crowd, standing along train tracks, to watch an effigy of Ravan being burnt.