Heads seem to have started rolling over the stampede at New Delhi Railway station last month with the government shifting out the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Delhi, an official said on Tuesday.
The February 15 incident triggered by a surge in crowd waiting to board trains to Prayagraj for Maha Kumbh on platforms 14 and 15 had claimed 18 lives.
The Railways announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of the deceased, Rs 2.5 lakh for the seriously injured passengers and Rs 1 lakh for those who suffered minor injuries in the stampede. Earlier, the Railway Ministry constituted a two-member committee to probe the deadly stampede.
The probe committee comprising Narsingh Deo, PCCM/Northern Railway, and Pankaj Gangwar, PCSC Northern Railway, ordered the securing of video footage of platforms 14 and 15 of the station where the incident took place. The probe panel also inspected the tragedy site and collected statements of witnesses to corroborate it with the CCTV footage.
Sources said the probe panel was also mandated to investigate the possibility of the incident being triggered by rumours which forced waiting passengers to switch between the two platforms, resulting in the crushing of people on a staircase on platform 14.
The incident came at a time when several railway stations in north and east India were grappling to manage crowds headed to Maha Kumbh Mela.
The stampede followed a sharp increase in the number of passengers attempting to catch the weekend evening trains to the holy city, resulting in overcrowding and chaos. DCP Railway K.P.S. Malhotra explained the cause of the incident, stating that the main reason for the stampede was a surge in passengers during the delays of two trains.
Earlier, the Railways claimed that special trains were being run to manage the sudden rush at New Delhi Railway Station. Four special trains were run to evacuate the unprecedented sudden rush. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav expressed grief over the death of people in the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station.
He said, “I am deeply saddened by the unfortunate stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My prayers are with all those who have lost their loved ones. The entire team is working to assist all those who have been affected by this tragic incident.”
–IANS
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