Train accident in India more than 60 dead

During a Hindu religious festival in India, a train fell on a crowd standing on the rails and killed at least 61 believers.

According to witnesses, among the victims are children. Another 72 people were injured, reported the PTI agency. The disaster occurred Friday near the city of Amritsar, in the state of Punjab, in the far north of India. "We do not know the circumstances, but many people in the crowd rushed on the track and were crushed by the train," said the Indian news agency Ani, quoted by another spokesman.

The railway administration rejected any guilt. "It would be wrong to say that the railway is responsible for the disaster," said Ani agency, the boss of the railway Ashwani Lohani. The railway had not been informed in advance of the ceremony. "People have to be more careful not to go to the rail sector."

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal expressed his sadness at the disaster and offered immediate help to the victims and survivors. Up to 700 fervent Hindus had celebrated the Dussehra festival, according to the TV channel "Times Now News". As part of the festival, portraits of the demon king Ravana are burned.

A representative of the regional railways said the spectators had followed the ceremony off the rails and had been caught. It was said that people could not hear the approaching train because of the big guns. On a video distributed by the Ani news agency, it was a train to see that pbades quickly in front of the crowd.

In addition, you can hear loud clicks. According to NDTV, an eyewitness from the Indian Ani news agency said: "The administration and the Dussehra committee are to blame for having alarmed the approach of the train, so that they are safe. ensure that the train stops or slows down. " Another resident accused the railway company and the administration: "How to allow this celebration to take place so close to the tracks?"

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sympathy on Twitter: "Extremely sad in front of the train accident in Amritsar Tragedy is tearing my heart Have asked officials to provide the necessary immediate badistance."

India is experiencing many train accidents each year and in recent years, thousands of people have died. Many trains and tracks are very old and are not frequently maintained. The Indian Railways announced last year to revise the safety instructions.