Amritsar train services resume after protests

Amid tension and tight security, train services were partially restored on the Amritsar-Jalandhar railway section as the Punjab Police yesterday booked protesters who clashed with the police at the spot where 59 people were crushed by a speeding train on Friday.
A near-empty passenger train was plied on the railway section amid tight security measures yesterday evening.
Railway services on the track had been suspended following the train disaster.
Punjab Police personnel stood guard on both sides of the railway tracks near the Joda Phatak (railway gate) area of Amritsar to prevent any protesters from getting near the tracks.
Earlier in the day, railway authorities plied a cargo train on the same section. The cargo train also had empty bogies.
The police booked protesters who clashed with them yesterday morning as the police began clearing the railway tracks in the area. The protesters were booked for rioting and attempt to murder.
The protesters indulged in stone-pelting, leaving at least half-a-dozen policemen injured. The police resorted to baton charge and even arrested one person.
The injured policemen, including a Punjab Police commando, were rushed to a government hospital. Residents of the area threw stones at the police when the latter tried to remove them from the railway tracks where the tragedy occurred.
The protesters were demanding action against organisers of the function near Joda Phatak for which hundreds of people had gathered.
The people were watching the proceedings from the railway tracks when the Jalandhar-Amritsar train crushed them.
Family members of the train tragedy victims said Punjab Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife Navjot Kaur, who was the chief guest at the function on Friday, had not even bothered to meet them despite their loss.
The Punjab government headed by Amarinder Singh on Saturday ordered a magisterial probe into the train tragedy. The probe will cover if mandatory permissions for holding the function were given.
The railways said it was not responsible for the incident.
Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal core committee yesterday demanded immediate sacking of Punjab Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and registration of a murder case against his wife and former legislator Navjot Kaur Sidhu as well as organisers of function.
Holding Kaur and organisers of the function responsible “for abetting the Amritsar tragedy”, the core committee, which met here under the chairmanship of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, rejected the magisterial inquiry ordered by the Congress government.