Independent agency should conduct inquiry into Amritsar mishap: Sukhbir Badal

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday said that an independent agency should conduct an inquiry into Amristar train tragedy that claimed lives of 59 people.

He further attacked Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government for taking the incident "lightly". "The present government is taking the accident lightly as Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said that inquiry report will come after four weeks. An FIR should be registered on the statements of the victims. An inquiry should be done by an independent agency."

The SAD leader also asked the Chief Minister to take action against those responsible for the accident.

Meanwhile, former minister and secretary of SAD, Bikram Singh Majithia said that ruling government should be held accountable for the incident as it did not inform the railways about the event being organised there.

"A case is being filed against four unknown people, on the basis of the statement made by a police officer, who was not even present at the accident spot, even when every single person responsible for this accident was identified from the CCTV footage. Why the matter is being covered up. We demand an immediate registration of the case. We will launch an agitation if the investigation not carried out properly," Majithia said.

The accident 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. 59 people died and 57 sustained injuries in the tragedy.