Panel formed to probe Kumbh stampede holds review meet

Mahakumbh Nagar : A three-member judicial inquiry commission formed to investigate a stampede-like incident at the Triveni Sangam that occurred on January 29 arrived here on Monday and held a review meeting.

“The judicial inquiry commission reached here at around 10 am. At the Integrated Command and Control Centre here, the commission members met with Kumbh Mela officials and police officers and investigated all the subjects and facts,” Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Bhanu Bhaskar told reporters after the meeting. “The commission has also started talks with various organisations and examining records. All the records sought by the members of the commission are being provided by officials. The next meeting of the commission will be held after Mahashivratri, in which more documents will be made available. The members of the commission have gone back,” the officer added.

Besides Bhaskar, Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand, DIG (Kumbh) Vaibhav Krishna, Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant and other senior officials were present at the meeting called by the commission. At least 30 people were killed and 60 injured in the pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh in the early hours of January 29 as lakhs of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar. Subsequently, the Uttar Pradesh government set up the three-member judicial commission to ascertain the sequence of events leading up to the incident. The commission is headed by retired high court judge Harsh Kumar. The other members of the panel are former Uttar Pradesh director general of police V K Gupta and retired Indian Administrative Officer (IAS) officer D K Singh. The judicial commission started its work the very next day of its formation. It has been given a month to conclude its investigation.