Tragic Accident of “Amritsar– Dusshera 2018”

While writing this an ocean of anger flowing through me. Anger on our society, anger on people and moreover I am angry from myself. Ashamed to live in a country where value of human lives is less than a cracker.  Ashamed to live in a country where people don’t care about themselves leave others. Today when People in Amritsar, Punjab were enjoying the one of the most astonishing cultural tradition “The Ravana Dahan” they forgot one small thing “themselves”.

News spread like fire and then I saw a horrific, tragic and heart wrenching video on Facebook. Which showed 2 truths about our society.

1. We all live our lives like insects or may be worse than that.
2. We all no longer should be called human. Because people were making videos instead of helping others.

The video was of Amritsar Train accident in which 50-60 people are dead and local administration still counting the actual figures. The accident happened near Joda Phatak area of Amritsar where a large number of people were watching the Ravan eiffigy in flames while standing along the railway tracks when the train crushed them. Yes you read it write, train crushed them. Now imagine you are going to see one of the most beautiful cultural tradition with your family, wearing new clothes, all of you are very happy. Its holiday, you are accompanied by your wife or husband also with your children, your world is around you. You all are happy and all of sudden you are hit by a train running at the speed of 60 Kms / Hr. By the time you realise what exactly happened, it’s too late. Luckily you survived but not your family. Is not that horrifying?

Now imagine those who actually went through this situation just hours ago. They were happy a moment ago without even realising that their happiness is going to end soon with the stupidity of the local Administration, State & Union government and mostly with their own stupidity. This accident has shaken my soul.

On that Facebook video I saw an infant crying beside his mother’s dead body, one teenager who can’t move his hand because he lost the movement of his hands in that accident hitting his father from his head to check if he is alive or not. Now can anyone on the earth feel that anguish? No, no one can narrate it in any words. We celebrate Dushhera as victory of Good over evil. But what happened today was more than an accident. It was a manmade disaster, an atom bomb which was ticking and people were looking at it instead of taking shelter.

First question which comes in mind what the hell they were doing on the train track? Why they were there on tracks instead of the ground where ceremony was taking place?

Second question why state government did not do anything? Why did not they take any precautionary measures? Why there were not enough police or why were there no barricaded covering tracks?

Finally why Railway which comes under union government did not take any security measures?

These functions are booked in advance and every administrative department are given enough time to take necessary steps. We have to rethink if this is the way we will treat ourselves?  We are not leaving a good example for our future generation. We will have few answers in upcoming weeks and may be administration will make some people accountable but at what cost? We could have stopped this from happening but due to our own incompetency we could not.

My heartfelt condolences with the victims and their families. I wish injured a speedy recovery. May god give us the brain and intellect to avoid such situations in future and may our government start treating us human not mere vote bank.