Amritsar, October 20: Minutes before the fatal rail mishap in Amritsar, the host of the Dussehra event where the tragedy erupted told Navjot Kaur Sidhu that over 5,000 revellers are standing on tracks for her, adding that they would not move "even if 500 trains pass by".

Despite being aware, neither Sidhu nor the Dussehra organisers at Jaura Phatak alerted the authorities of the Railway station, located barely 200 metres away. Train Driver Detained For Questioning, Says Not His Fault as 'Green Signal Was Given'.

Shortly thereafter, the Jalandhar-bound DMU train came hurtling and mowed down at least 61 people to death. Almost an equal number have been left with serious injuries.

In the video cited by various reports, the Dussehra host brazenly boasted about the revellers standing on the tracks. "Madam (Navjot Kaur Sidhu), look here, these people don't care about standing on tracks. Over 5,000 people are (standing) on (railway tracks) lines for you and even if 500 trains pass by, they will not move," he was quoted as saying by English news portals.

Sidhu, while speaking to reporters on Saturday, said she had personally appealed the revellers to revert from the tracks and assemble in the ground where seating arrangements were made. "I had announced on numerous occasions. The people had climbed on the tracks -- on an elevated position -- to catch a clear view of the Ravana effigy burning," she said.

Sidhu, who is the former legislator of Amritsar East, claimed that she was scheduled to attend six Dussehra events. "I had to reach other places as well. I had left before the effigy was set on fire. It is a blatant lie to say that I saw the people being mowed down and left without addressing the situation," she added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 20, 2018 08:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).