Families bid tearful farewell to those killed in Amritsar train accident

Families and relatives Saturday bid an emotional goodbye to 39 of the 59 people killed in the tragic train accident here that has sent shock waves across the country.

The mortal remains were consigned to flames at different cremation grounds here as heartbroken friends and family members of the deceased wept inconsolably, not ready to believe their loved ones were no more.

Some of the tragedy-struck women fainted at the cremation grounds when the funeral pyres of their relatives were lit.

Parents of the children killed in the accident broke down several times.

Davinder found it really hard to come to terms with his brother's death.

Several members of his family, hailing from Bihar, were killed in the horrific accident.

Earlier, officials said 40 of the 59 people killed in the accident had been identified.

At least 59 people were killed Friday evening after a crowd of Dussehra revellers that had spilled onto railway tracks while watching the burning of a Ravana effigy was run over by a train near Joda Phatak here.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Sandip Rishi said 31 bodies were cremated at the Durgiana Mandir's cremation ground. The mortal remains of five people were consigned to flames at the crematorium in the Mohkampura area.

Three bodies were cremated at the crematorium near the Shaeed Ganj gurdwara.

Rishi said four bodies were taken to Uttar Pradesh for the final rites, while three bodies kept in the mortuary would be cremated later.

Shiromani Akali Dal Badal chief Sukhbir Badal and former ministers Bikram Majithia and Daljit Singh Cheema attended the cremation ceremony at the Durgiana Mandir's cremation ground.

Sukhbir expressed condolences to families of the victims and offered all possible help to them.