Amritsar mishap: Navjot Kaur Sidhu was chief guest, how is she guilty? Court asks petitioner

AMRITSAR: The Punjab High Court on Monday rapped a petitioner who wanted former MLA Navjot Kaur Sidhu to be held responsible for the Amritsar train tragedy where at least 60 people were killed. The court rapped the peitioner asking how will is be fair to hold Navjot responsible as she was only a chief guest at the event. 

"If any Chief person went as a guest, how could they be guilty," the court asked.

The court, while reprimanding the petitioner, said that the petition was completely politically motivated. "We will dismiss the petition while putting a heavy cost on the petitioner," the judge said. However, the petitioner withdrew the application.

Navjot Kaur's lawyer DS Patwalia, who was present in the court on her behalf, said that the petition is not maintainable as it refers to her as an MLA. 

The court also took a strong view of the case and said victims cannot be asking for compensation in this case. "Who has given people the right to climb electricity towers and sit on a train tracks. Which law states that if anyone dies in such an accident then the government will compensate them," the court asked.

At least 60 'Ravan Dahan' spectators were mowed down by a speeding train hurtling into a crowd of Dussehra revellers, who had spilled on to the adjoining railway tracks at Joda Phatak here.

Several people had held the organisers and of the Dussehra event and Navjot Kaur Sidhu who was the chief guest responsible for mowing down of revellers by a passing train.

Najot has been targeted after CCTV footage emerged indicates that she was present at the venue when the accident took place and hurriedly left the place. She had earlier claimed that she had left the place 15 minutes before the train passed killing at least 59 people.