Ex-HC judge to probe UP stampede

The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday appointed retired Allahabad High Court judge Justice Onkareshwar Bhatt as one-member commission to conduct an inquiry into the stampede at Allahabad railway station on February 10, which claimed 38 lives and injured more than three dozen. Principal Secretary (Home) R M Srivastava said the commission will submit its report to the government in two months.

According to a government spokesperson, the commission will look into the causes of the incident and any possible negligence or lapses on part of the government officials that could have led to the tragedy. The commission will also give its recommendations to avoid the repetition of any such incident in future, the spokesperson added.

Earlier, the government had ordered an inquiry by the Board of Revenue Chairman Jagan Mathews, a few hours after the incident happened. There were no new orders about the fate of the inquiry being conducted by Mathews on Sunday, officials said.

The stampede had occurred at Platform Nos. 5 and 6 of the railway station where thousands of passengers, mostly Maha Kumbh devotees returning after taking the holy dip at the Sangam on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, had gathered to board a train.

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