The Opposition parties in Punjab accused the ruling Congress government of lapses in allowing celebrations to be conducted near the railway track, leading to the mowing down of 61 Dasara revellers by a train on Friday.
Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s wife was targeted for allegedly leaving the site soon after the incident.
Navjot Kaur Sidhu, who was the chief guest at the Dasara event, later told the media at a hospital where the injured were taken that her priority was to ensure they received proper treatment.
“The effigy of Ravana was burnt and I had just left the site when the incident happened. Priority should be to get the injured treated,” she said.
BJP leader and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the initial reports suggest it was a tragedy that could have been avoided.