Devotees risk lives during Chhath Puja

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, November 13

Devotees during Chhath Puja risked their lives by standing on the railway track over Sirhind Canal on Tuesday, whereas no measure was taken by the district administration to ensure their safety.

It seems that the administration has learnt no lesson from the Amritsar rail tragedy in which many people were crushed under a train on Dasehra.

Even no railway police force (RPF) personnel were present at the spot. Later, Punjab Police personnel reached the spot.

A major incident was averted on Tuesday when a large number of people were standing on the railway track over Sirhind Canal and a train approached. Everyone could move from the track well in time.

Every year, migrants celebrate Chhath Puja near the railway track on Sirhind Canal, but despite this, nothing has been done to pre-empt an untoward incident.

Deputy Commissioner Praneet said, “It is the property of the Railways. They did not bring the matter to our notice otherwise we could have made proper arrangements.”

Bathinda RPF Commandant Jugraj Singh said, “This railway bridge comes under the Ferozepur division, so I can’t say anything. We have deployed personnel since yesterday at other bridges, which come under our division.”

Bathinda SSP Dr Nanak Singh said, “As soon as we got information on Tuesday, we sent Thermal SHO, along with a police team, and got the people move from the railway tracks.”

All major water bodies in the city transformed into festive venues with devotees thronging the places to offer ‘arghya’ to the setting sun.

The festival, incidentally, is said to be only one of its kind in which even the setting sun is worshipped.

Hundreds of devotees with incense sticks, bags of fruits and sugarcanes in their hands arrived at the canal to perform puja at the time of the sunset.

The area near the canal was decorated with festoons and tents were set up. Fruit stalls, fire cracker sellers and other makeshift shops did brisk business along the canal bridge as worshippers and onlookers thronged the area.

Those performing the puja or observing fast were segregated from the families for four days and slept separately to maintain purity.

Many family members, including women, were also seen prostrating on the road to reach the banks of the canal to perform the puja.

This painful process is regarded as an ascetic way of offering respect to the deity.