Amritsar’s Dark Night: 60 People Died on Dussehra Day, Eight Years Later, People Live in Fear

Amritsar: Dussehra, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil, was celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country. However, in Amritsar, Punjab, remembering this day still brings shivers. Eight years have passed since the tragic Dussehra accident at Joda Phatak in Amritsar, yet the families of those killed in the accident still become emotional.
The families of the victims did not celebrate Dussehra this year either. Those who lost their loved ones say that even today, remembering that day trembles their hearts. Many elders said that the people they were supposed to carry into the forest on their shoulders were left behind in the tragedy. This horrific scene was painful for everyone. They said that despite numerous protests, the government remained unmoved, but the current Railway Minister, responsible for this tragedy, only lamented. They said that Dussehra celebrations have now stopped here.
My daughter-in-law left me…
Reflecting on the tragic train accident that occurred eight years ago, the mother of the deceased, Dalbir Singh, said that even after eight years of struggle and a long struggle, the government has not even provided her with a government job to support her family. She says, “My daughter-in-law left after taking government assistance. We are raising a child. No one supported us. If the government had given us a job, our family would have been able to survive properly today. Another member of our family should have been given the job. We demand the government help us.”
60 people killed in a 2018 train accident
On October 19, 2018, on the evening of Dussehra, a train hit a crowd of people at Joda Phatak on the outskirts of Amritsar. At least 60 people were killed and around 200 were injured in the train accident. This tragic accident occurred when a large number of people had gathered at Joda Phatak to watch Dussehra, and many were sitting on the railway tracks. Suddenly, a DMU train arrived and crushed the people. The noise of the firecrackers emanating from the burning effigies prevented the people from realizing the train was approaching. The train driver tried to apply the brakes, but by then the accident had already happened.