Dussehra celebrations turned tragic in Amritsar on Friday evening when a speeding train ran over hundreds of people who were watching Ravana’s effigy going up in flames. At least 60 people were feared dead according to initial estimates with authorities saying that the fatalities could rise.

The tragedy took place at the Joda Fatak area where a large crowd had gathered to watch the fireworks. As the firecrackers went off, the organisers of the Dussehra celebration asked people to move back. A large number of people moved towards the railway tracks.

At the same time, the Jalandhar-Amritsar DMU was crossing the spot. Police officials said that “the revelers could not hear the train approaching because of the loud explosions from the effigy and were run over by the train.”

Eyewitnesses said the Amritsar-Howrah train had crossed the spot minutes earlier. Had the two trains crossed at the same time, the casualties would have been much higher.

S.S. Srivastava Amritsar commissioner of police confirmed the death toll. He said they were trying to clear the bodies from the tracks and take the injured to nearby hospitals.