Stampede at Allahabad Railway Station -Sunday Feb 10,2013

As many as 29 women, 7 men and a baby girl died in the stampede.

As many as 39 people were injured, said Uttar Pradesh government's chief secretary Jawed Usmani.

 












"A huge crowd gathered at platforms Number 4 and 6 (at Allahabad station). The (police) personnel tried to control the crowd, the crowd surged from one end. We have to investigate what really happened," said UP Director General of Police AC Sharma.


Rail Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said -
an inquiry has been ordered into what led to the stampede. He said the railway station saw huge crowds of people wishing to return home after prayers on the river banks. "There were just too many people on the platforms,"
"We have announced Rs. 1 lakh for the next kin of the deceased in the incident and Rs. 50,000 for the grievously injured persons and Rs. 25,000 for those who have suffered simple injury in the stampede,"

The Head of the Organising Committee for Kumbh Mela announced his resignation. "I have resigned as the chairman of the festival committee," said Mohammed Azam Khan, who is also a cabinet minister in Uttar Pradesh.

Opposition parties blamed the Railways and the UP
"This is a failure of both central and state government." Pawan Kumar Bansal cannot skip his duty only by giving a technical answer that the footover Bridge did not collapse but the stampede happened on the station. There was much chaos and could have been managed in a better way," said BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar.

Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy, a former railway minister, too blamed the Railways and the local administration. Roy alleged that the Railways ran only 75 trains on Sunday as against the 150 it had promised. He claimed  police lathicharged people at the station, which "aggravated the situation".

UP Govt Orders Judicial Inquiry -Feb 18,2013

The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the stampede at Allahabad Railway Station that left 37 people dead. 

Principal Secretary (Home) R.M.Srivastava said retired High Court judge Justice Omkareshar Bhatt has been entrusted with the inquiry into the incident which took place on Mauni Amavasya on February 10.

He said Justice Bhatt would submit his report in two months. 

The state government had earlier ordered an inquiry by the chairman of the revenue board into the incident.