Amritsar train accident: Youth Congress leader who organized Dussehra event goes missing, authorities say no permission was taken

Near the site of the Amritsar train accident, Dussehra poster with photos of Navjot Singh Sidhu, his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, councillor Saurbah Madan and his wife Vijay Madan were displayed.

Amritsar Municipal Corporation Commissioner Sonali Giri said that nobody was given the permission for organising the Dussehra event. Moreover, nobody had applied for the permission with the Amritsar Municipal Corporation. ABP News Grab

NEW DELHI: After the tragic incident where at least 59 people were crushed to death by a train while watching the burning of a Ravana effigy, the organizer of the Ramleela event, Saurabh ‘Mithu’ Madan who is the husband of ward number 29 Councillor Vijay Madan and is general secretary of Youth Congress, went missing. When ABP News correspondent reached his residence in Amritsar, it was found locked. Bystanders near his house say that the family left their house at 10 pm on Friday night after people tried to allegedly attack him and his family at his house. Near Madan’s house, ABP News was also able to access the posters on which photos of Navjot Singh Sidhu, his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, councillor Saurbah Madan and his wife Vijay Madan were displayed. Hindustan Times reported that the councillor is close to the family of Congress minister and Amritsar East MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu. Earlier, a resident blamed Navjot Kaur Sidhu, the wife of Punjab minister Navjot Sidhu who represents the area in the assembly, for the tragedy. "The tragic incident could have been averted, had Navjot Kaur Sidhu turned up at the venue on time and had the function not been delayed," said Deepak who works as a painter. When ABP News asked Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh about the location of Congress Councillor, he denied answering any questions. Amritsar Municipal Corporation Commissioner Sonali Giri said that nobody was given the permission for organising the Dussehra event. Moreover, nobody had applied for the permission with the Amritsar Municipal Corporation. Opposition parties, including the Akali Dal, BJP and AAP now  demand strict action against those who gave permission for holding the event. They have also held the Congress-led Punjab government responsible for allowing the Dussehra celebrations near the railway track.

The event was organized at Joda Phatak near Amritsar, where at least 300 people had gathered to watch ‘Ravana dahan' at a ground. Adjacent to the ground were railway track. At the time when Ravana effigy was burnt, the train from Jalandhar was reportedly coming at the high. In videos of the incident which have now gone viral on social media sites, it is seen that in just 10-15 seconds it left behind a heap of crushed and dismembered bodies. Senior railway officials said here that the presence of so many people, who were watching the function, on the railway tracks was a "trespass". Northern Railways informed that the Gate No. C-27 is a manned level crossing gate and it was closed for road traffic for passing the above DMU train. It is further informed that there is about 2.5 meter high brick wall between the railway track & the Ravana Effigy Dahan site.