Amritsar | Dasara revellers spill onto railway track; at least 60 killed

Agencies
October 19, 2018

Amritsar, Oct 19: In a major tragedy, at least 60 people, including women and children, were killed and more than 70 injured after a train ran them over when they were gathered at a crossing to watch burning of Ravana's effigy at Jora Phatak near Amritsar on Friday evening.

Reports said that during the Dussehra celebrations, around 500 people were standing near the railway tracks to watch a Ravan effigy being burnt.

As the effigy of Ravana, located very close to the tracks was lit, a section of the crowd retreated towards the tracks, where a large number of people were already standing to watch the celebrations.

Two trains arrived from the opposite direction at the same time giving little time to people to escape. Many people were mowed down by one of the trains, sources said.
The people who were hit could not see or hear the sound of the train due to burning of firecrackers.

The train was on its way from Jalandhar to Amritsar when the tragedy took place at Jora Phatak in Amritsar Sub Division.

Magistrate I Rajesh Sharma confirmed that 50 bodies have been recovered and over 70 injured have been admitted to a government hospital.

According to Amritsar Police Commissioner SS Srivastava, at least fifty people have died in this tragedy.

"We are still assessing the number of casualties," he added.

Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of Punjab Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, was the chief guest at the Dussehra function.

After the tragedy, she left the venue in her car.

The angry mob attacked Education Minister OP Soni when he reached the spot. Police rescued the minister.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Government has announced Rs 5 lakh for the families of each person killed in the accident and free treatment for the injured.

"My government will give Rs 5 lakh to kin of each deceased and free treatment to injured in government and private hospitals. District authorities have been mobilised on war footing," he tweeted.

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has directed Home Secretary, Health 
Secretary and ADGP (law and order) to immediately rush to Amritsar.

The Chief Minister has said he is rushing to Amritsar to personally supervise relief and rescue efforts. He has asked all government and private hospitals to stay open.

The Chief Minister would fly to Amritsar on Saturday to assess the situation.

The state will remain in mourning tomorrow in view of Amritsar train mishap. All offices and educational institutions will remain closed, the CM said.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday expressed condolences.

The Prime Minister and Home Minister Rajnath Singh have also promised all possible assistance.

In a condolence message, the President said, 'Shocked to hear about the tragedy on rail tracks in Amritsar, Punjab. Understand Indian Railways and local authorities are taking steps to help affected people. Heartfelt condolences to bereaved families.'

'Extremely saddened by the train accident in Amritsar. The tragedy is heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones and I pray that the injured recover quickly.

Have asked officials to provide immediate assistance that is required,'the PM said in a message.

Condoling the deaths in the accident, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said, 'the train accident in Punjab in which over 50 people have died is shocking. I urge the state government & Congress workers to provide immediate relief at the accident site. My condolences to the families of those who have died. I pray that the injured make a speedy recovery.'

'Pained beyond words at the loss of precious lives due to a train tragedy during Dussehra festivities in Punjab. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased and prayers with the injured.

I spoke to Home Secretary of Punjab and DGP of the state regarding the train accident in Amritsar. They are rushing to the spot. Centre is ready to provide all possible assistance to the state at this hour of grief,'the Home minister said..

Expressing sadness over the tragic train incident in Amritsar , Railways minister Piyush Goyal on Friday assured that the Railways is conducting immediate relief and rescue operations.

Shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic train incident that occurred in #Amritsar. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims.

I pray for the injured to recover quickly. Railways is conducting immediate relief and rescue operations,' Piyush Goyal said in a tweet.

Information and Broadcasting minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore also expressed grief over the tragedy.

'Anguished by the tragic train accident in Amritsar. My heart felt condolences to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones. I Pray for the speedy recovery of the injured?'Mr Rathore tweeted.

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Agencies
January 15,2020

Mumbai, Jan 15: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday redistributed portfolios of Deputy Governors following the appointment of Michael Debabrata Patra to the post.

An official release said that NS Vishwanathan will handle co-ordination, Department of Regulation (DOR), Department of Communication (DoC), Enforcement Department, Inspection Department (ID), Risk Monitoring Department (RMD), and Secretary's Department.

BP Kanungo will look after Department of Currency Management (DCM), Department of External Investments and Operations (DEIO), Department of Government and Bank Accounts (DGBA), Department of Information Technology (DIT), Department of Payment and Settlement Systems (DPSS), Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC), Foreign Exchange Department (FED), Internal Debt Management Department (IDMD), Legal Department (LD) and Right to Information (RIA) Division.

The release said that MK Jain will handle the Department of Supervision (DOS), Consumer Education and Protection Department (CEPD), Financial Inclusion and Development Department (FIDD), Human Resource Management Department (HRMD), HR Operations Unit (HR-OU), Premises Department (PD), Central Security Cell (CSC), and Rajbhasha Department.

Patra will look after the Monetary Policy Department including Forecasting and Modelling Unit (MPD/MU), Financial Markets Operations Department (FMOD), Financial Markets Regulation Department including Market Intelligence (FMRD/MI), International Department (Intl. D), Department of Economic and Policy Research (DEPR), Department of Statistics & Information Management (including Data and Information Management Unit) (DSIM/DIMU), Corporate Strategy and Budget Department (CSBD) and Financial Stability Unit.

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News Network
January 7,2020

New Delhi, Jan 7: The Delhi Police has filed an FIR against JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh and 19 others for allegedly attacking security guards and vandalising the server room of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on January 4.

The police registered the FIR on January 5.

In the complaint filed by the JNU administration, the University alleged that the accused were involved in physical violence and pushed the women guards, verbally abused them and threatened them of dire consequences if they opened the lock of university's communication and information (CIS) office.

"They illegally trespassed the University property with the criminal intention to damage the public property. They damaged servers and made it dysfunctional. They also damaged fiber optic power supplies and broke the biometric systems inside the room," the University officials alleged.

This incident allegedly occurred a day before Aishe Ghosh, other JNU students and teachers were attacked by a masked mob inside the campus.

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Agencies
January 12,2020

Mumbai, Jan 12: Thousands of citizens on Sunday congregated in Mumbai's suburban Jogeshwari to oppose the new citizenship law, the proposed NRC and NPR.

They also condemned last Sunday's violence on the JNU campus in Delhi, where masked men ran riot and attacked students. Leftist organisations had claimed RSS-affiliated ABVP's role in the attack, a charge denied by the students' body.

Former Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) general secretary Fahad Ahmed told PTI that they assembled under the aegis of 'Hum Bharat Ke Log' in Millat Nagar area.

"Prime minister Narendra Modi should call 56 students from across the country to debate on the CAA, NRC and NPR," Ahmed said in an apparent jibe at Modi's "56 inch chest" remark, which the latter had made ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

"Why the PM is not talking to us? Why is he not communicating? Even the Britishers used to talk to Indians whom they ruled, but our PM is not talking to poor people," he alleged.

Bollywood actor Sushasht Singh also spoke on the occasion.

"We are people of this country and such acts (CAA) are tarnishing the image of our country," he said.

At the gathering, people waved banners with slogans like "I Am From Gujarat, My Documents Burned in 2002", "No CAA, Boycott NRC, Stop Dividing India, Don't Divide us", "Save Constitution", written on them.

A large number of police personnel were present at the venue.

The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which was notified on January 10, grants Indian citizenship to non-Muslim minorities migrated to India from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh till December 31, 2014, following persecution over their faith.

Massive protests were witnessed against the CAA, mainly by the student community, since its passage by Parliament in December last year.

Opposition parties have been dubbing the CAA an "anti-Muslim" legislation, a charge being debunked by the government.

The Congress and other parties like the TMC have also opposed the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR).

Union home minister Amit Shah has said that the government won't rest until persecuted refugees are granted Indian citizenship.

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