Amritsar train accident: Punjab CM orders inquiry, declares 1-day mourning
Chandigarh, Oct 19: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Friday ordered an inquiry into the tragic Amritsar train accident in which at least 58 people were killed and 72 injured and declared one-day mourning in the state on Saturday.
The chief minister, who was scheduled to leave for Israel this evening, has postponed his trip and will fly to Amritsar in the morning to personally supervise relief operations and meet families of the victims of the incident, which occurred during Dussehra festivities, an official statement said.
"The state will remain in mourning tomorrow in view of #Amritsar train mishap. All offices & educational institutions will remain closed," the chief minister tweeted.
"Have set up Crisis Management Group under @BrahmMohindra to monitor relief & rehabilitation efforts in #Amritsar. Won't spare any efforts on part of govt to tackle the crisis," he said in another tweet.
The Group is led by Health Minister Brahm Mohindra, with state minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria and Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi as its members.
Acting on the chief minister's directives, Sarkaria and Mohindra have already rushed to Amritsar to supervise rescue and relief operations.
According to Raveen Thukral, media advisor to the chief minister, initial reports suggest the incident occurred during a stampede, as people rushed towards the tracks when crackers went off during 'Ravana dahan'.
Reports suggest that the train ploughed through the crowd on the tracks, leading to the tragedy. So far, 58 people have been confirmed dead and many injured. However, the death toll could rise as relief operations are underway.
Additional police force has been rushed to the spot to control the situation in the wake of the incident.
Punjab's Home Secretary, Health Secretary and DGP (Law & Order) have also left for Amritsar.
Singh has issued orders to mobilize all necessary administrative and police personnel on a war footing to help the district administration tackle the situation.
The chief minister has also directed the chief secretary to deploy administrative officials to ensure that the injured people are hospitalised immediately.
All private hospitals have been asked to remain open to provide urgent free treatment and care to the injured.
The chief minister said a thorough probe will be conducted into the incident. Why an effigy was allowed to be burnt close to the railway tracks will also be investigated.
Expressing condolences to the families of the deceased, the chief minister has announced immediate ex-gratia compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed.
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Gill, Buttler propel Gujarat Titans to 209/4 against Rajasthan Royals
Jaipur, Apr 28 (PTI): Skipper Shubman Gill was epitome of class in his 50-ball-84 that took Gujarat Titans to a healthy 209 for 4 against Rajasthan Royals in an IPL match here on Monday.
The Gujarat Titans skipper scored his fourth half-century with help of five fours and four sixes, adding 93 for the opening stand with an in-form Sai Sudharsan (39 off 30 balls).
The Titans were ready to capitalise on a solid platform laid by the duo and Jos Buttler (50 not out off 26 balls) made a mincemeat of Royals' ordinary bowling attack from thereon, smashing four sixes apart from three boundaries.
Buttler executed reverse pulls and ramps at will while using the pace of deliveries to punish his former team Rajasthan Royals, which is one side that completely messed up their auctions with no match-winning bowler in its ranks.
Gill displayed the cricketing smarts by picking the shorter boundary in one of the leg-side and the RR bowlers were guilty of drifting towards his pads.
There were pick-up pulls -- one over square leg and one over wide of mid-on -- but the flicked maximum off Yudhvir Singh stood out.
There was also a perfect off-drive and his opening partner Sudharsan was more than happy to give his skipper bulk of the strike.
Once Sudharsan was dismissed, the dangerous Buttler piled up further misery with a 24-run over off Wanindu Hasaranga, which included three sixes and a boundary.
Till date, the devoted Rajasthan Royals fans are unable to fathom how Royals failed to retain Buttler.
After that 15th over, Riyan Parag, who has been a complete disaster as a stand-in captain, was clueless as to whom he should look up to for getting breakthroughs. Jofra Archer (1/49) has been good in patches but the main issue has been the two Sri Lankan spinners Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekhsana, who have not delivered on expected lines.
Hasaranga though has been better, Theekshana bowled too many loose balls for his comfort. On the night, the duo gave away 74 runs collectively in eight overs and never looked like troubling GT opening pair.
Gill looked set for his fifth IPL hundred but was holed out in the deep off Theekshana, but Buttler, in company of Washington Sundar and Rahul Tewatia, took GT past the 200-run mark.
