Amritsar, October 22: An Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Sukhpal Singh Khera has called the Amritsar train accident a small incident, saying that such road mishap often happens in Punjab and across the country. "What happened in Amritsar is a samll incident. Such road accidents daily happens in Punjab and in the country," Khera was quoted as saying.

"As many as 5000 people die in road accident in Punjab per year. These small accidents like the one in Amritsar happen every day across the country," Khera added. On Sunday, a 19-year-old man injured in Friday's train tragedy succumbed to his wounds at a hospital here Sunday, taking the death toll to 62. Harsh, a resident of ward number 24, succumbed to his injuries on Sunday evening, said Municipal Councillor Rajinder Saini.

On Saturday, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had said that 59 people had died, while Sub-Divisonal Magistrate Amritsar Rajesh Sharma had put the toll at 61 on that day. Shiv Sena Compares Amritsar Train Mishap with Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.

People watching the Dusshera proceedings from the railway tracks near Joda Phatak in Amritsar on Friday were crushed by the speeding Jalandhar-Amritsar DMU (diesel multiple unit) train. At least 300 people were watching the 'Ravana dahan' at a ground adjacent to the tracks.

The Indian Railways has given a clean chit to the train driver and other officials saying that they (railways) were not informed about the Ravan effigy burning event so close to the railway tracks and the presence of hundreds of people on the tracks.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 22, 2018 03:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).