Sidhu and wife to adopt kin of train tragedy victims

After facing flak over the Amritsar train tragedy, Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday said that he and his wife will adopt the families of the deceased who lost their lives in the mishap on Friday night.

Sidhu and his namesake wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, a former MLA, are under attack from the Opposition over the Amritsar train mishap. Sidhu’s wife was the chief guest at the Dusherra event where rules were thrown to the winds, which eventually led to the tragedy.

Sidhu said, “This is my promise to the families and to everyone. I will try to provide jobs to the kin of the deceased and adopt the children if they have no one to support them.”

"These children will never be orphans," he said. Earlier, he hit out at the Centre for giving a clean chit to the train driver.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, who is currently in Tel Aviv, Israel, through a video conference, directed officials to ensure quick and effective disbursement of relief and compensation to the victims and their families.

Officials on Monday said the situation was under control and all the victims, barring one, have been identified. “Of the 58 dead, 52 have been cremated and the remaining would be cremated during the day today (Monday),” Suresh Kumar, the chief principal secretary to the chief minister said. A total of 116 families have been affected by the tragedy, Suresh Kumar said.

Kumar further informed that various groups and government officials were visiting the affected families and providing emergency help, including ration, blankets, clothes etc.

The chief minister had on Sunday asked officials to complete the socio-economic profiling of the victims' families at the earliest so that their rehabilitation could be taken up on priority.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Congress led by state president Sunil Jakhar took out a candle march in Amritsar on Monday to express solidarity with the tragedy-hit families.