The South Eastern Railway on Wednesday set up a committee to inquire into the circumstances which led to the stampede at the Santragachi station in Howrah district of West Bengal on Tuesday.
Two persons died and more than a dozen were injured in the stampede that broke out at 6.30 p.m. when three trains arrived simultaneously at the station.
‘Last-minute change’
“The inquiry committee visited the site today [Wednesday] afternoon to study the infrastructural facilities at the location. The members of the committee also interacted with local people, railway officials and passengers admitted in the hospital,” a press statement by the SER said.
The committee will look into allegations of a “last-minute change of the platform” for an incoming train, SER spokesperson Sanjay Ghosh said.
The four-member panel is headed by J.N. Laldas, principal chief engineer, SER; P.K. Sahu, principal chief commercial manager, SER; S.C. Parhi, principal chief security commissioner cum-IG, SER and G.K. Dwivedy, chief safety officer, SER.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had alleged that “negligence and callousness” led to the tragedy. She announced an administrative inquiry into the incident. The Government Railway Police, which comes under the State government, has filed an FIR in the incident.
