Imran, Sirisena express grief over death of 59 people in Amritsar train tragedy

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena Saturday expressed grief over the death of 59 people, run over by a train during Dussehra celebrations in Amritsar, Punjab.

In a series of tweets, Khan said "Saddened to learn of the tragic train accident in Amritsar India".

"Condolences go to the families of the deceased," he tweeted.

At least 59 people were killed and 72 injured 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.

The train was coming from Punjab's Jalandhar city 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.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena also wrote to his Indian counterpart Ramnath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extending his condolence over the incident.

"Sri Lanka stands in solidarity with the people of India at this time of difficulty and our thoughts and prayers are with those affected," Sirisena said in his message to Kovind, according to Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry release.

"The people of Sri Lanka join me in extending heartfelt condolences to you," he said in his message to Modi.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who at present is in New Delhi, in his message to Modi said: "I am deeply saddened to hear about the tragic train accident in Amritsar last night."