Stone pelting by residents near the track in Amritsar on Sunday, October 21 2018. (Express photo by Sahil Walia)
Locals protesting near Jaura Phatak, the site of the deadly train accident in Amritsar which killed 59 people, pelted stones and clashed with police personnel after they were removed from the railway tracks on Sunday. The group, however, was dispersed as the police chased them into the adjoining Krishnanagar locality.
Earlier in the day, the Punjab Police tried to remove the protesters who have been blocking the railway track since Friday evening when 59 Dussehra revellers were mowed down by speeding trains coming from opposite directions as they watched a Ravan effigy being burnt. The protesters were raising slogans against the state government and demanding Navjot Singh Sidhu to resign as Cabinet Minister. Sidhu’s wife was present at the celebrations when the incident took place.
As soon as the police started removing the protesters, people resorted to stone pelting. A Punjab Police commando and a photojournalist were injured in the clashes. The situation is tense at and around the site and a huge police deployment has been made to maintain law and order, police said.
Officials said that personnel from the Punjab Police and Rapid Action Force have been deployed alongside the state police commandos.
Police are also making announcements on loudspeakers asking people to remain inside their houses.