Madan said he was pained by the train tragedy and it will continue to haunt him for life.
Scene of the accident. (Photo: AFP)
The organiser of the Dussehra celebrations in Amritsar, where nearly 60 people were mowed down by a train last Friday, Saurabh Madan, on Monday claimed to have taken all kinds of permissions from the authorities concerned to hold the event.
In a video message sent from an undisclosed location, Madan claimed to have told people at least 10 times to get off the railway track where the accident took place.
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Madan, whose father is Congress’ municipal councillor, had organised the event at Joda Phatak area where Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, was the chief guest.
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Madan said he was pained by the train tragedy and it will continue to haunt him for life. “We had taken all kind of precautions. More than 50 police personnel were present at the venue. A fire brigade engine and a water tanker from the municipal corporation were also stationed there.
“The event was organised in a ground and not on the tracks. We made repeated announcements, appealing to those standing on railway tracks to move away. Our entire family is in distress after this tragedy.”
Madan is the sitting councillor from ward number 29 falling under the Amritsar East assembly constituency.
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