Amritsar train tragedy: Hundreds of people were watching 'Ravan dahan' standing on rail tracks
Amritsar police on Saturday said that though they had given a "no objection" certificate for the Dussehra celebration near Joda Phatak, the organisers did not take permission from the municipal corporation and the pollution department.
According to the permission document, the organisers were given the go-ahead following their assurance that they would follow the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on use of loud speakers.
They had also assured that traffic movement would not be disrupted and nobody would carry any weapon at the event, it said.
The organiser, Saurabh Madan, who is also the president of Dussehra Committee (East) and husband of Congress Councillor Vijay Madan, had sought permission for the October 19 event. He had also sought security from the police as Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu were supposed to attend the event.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Amrik Singh Powar said the organisers were asked to also seek permission from the municipal corporation and pollution department as well.
"If any of these permissions is not granted, then the permission for holding a Dussehra event cannot be granted," Mr Powar said.
Earlier on Saturday, the Amritsar Municipal Corporation (AMC) said no permission was granted to hold Dussehra celebrations at 'Dhobi ghat' ground in Amritsar.
"Nobody was given permission for organising the Dussehra event. Moreover, nobody had applied for the permission with the Amritsar Municipal Corporation," AMC commissioner Sonali Giri sai.
Opposition parties, including the Akali Dal, BJP and AAP have demanded strict action against those who gave permission for holding the event. They have also held the Congress-led Punjab government responsible for allowing the Dussehra celebrations near the railway track.
At least 60 people were killed on Friday evening after a crowd had spilled onto railway tracks while watching the burning of a Ravana effigy was run over by a train near Joda Phatak in Amritsar. At the time of the tragic incident, at least 300 people were watching the 'Ravana dahan' at the ground adjacent to the elevated rail tracks.