NEW DELHI — Most of the casualties in a train disaster that killed dozens of people in northern India were migrant workers, a former state government official said Saturday. Most “of those killed are these poor workers,” Yadav said, adding that some earned as little as 7,000 rupees ($95) per month. As the fireworks started, the crowd moved backward onto the tracks for a better view when two trains crossed in opposite directions, giving people little opportunity to escape. Police are investigating whether the organizers had a permit for the event and at what speed the train that ran over the crowd was travelling, said Amritsar’s police commissioner, S.S. Srivastava. A large number of people live in the area with homes on both sides of the railroad track, she said.

Source: National Post October 20, 2018 09:28 UTC