Amritsar train mishap: CM Amarinder orders magisterial inquiry, wants report in 4 weeks

Captain Amarinder Singh also defended Navjot Singh Sidhu, whose wife was the chief guest at the event where the tragedy occurred.

A day after a train mowed at least 60 people to death, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh visited hospitals across the state on Saturday where the injured are being treated and said that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered to investigate all aspects of the tragedy.

The tragedy happened around 1850hrs when people gathered for Dusshera celebrations near Amritsar were hit by a train. Many of them were on a level crossing. Expressing his grief, Amarinder said that his government is committed to getting to the bottom of the incident. "The sympathies of Punjab and of the entire country are with the injured and with the families of those who died. Most of the dead bodies have been identified - barring nine and they too would be identified in the course of today. We have ordered a magisterial probe into the incident and will have their reply within four weeks," he told mediapersons outside the Civil Hospital in Amritsar.

Asked about why it took him more than 12 hours to visit the injured, Amarinder said that he was on his way to Tel Aviv and had to return mid-way from Delhi when he got to know about the tragedy. He also deflected the blame away from Navjot Singh Sidhu whose wife was the chief guest at the event. "Let's not point fingers just yet and let us not play politics. Every party should come together to ensure the injured receive all the support they need and families of those who died are taken care of."

Sidhu, earlier in the day, had called the incident an unintentional tragedy while admitting it was a case of negligence. Amarinder though said that it is only when the magisterial inquiry submits its report that accountability can be fixed.