Allahabad stampede: CM Akhilesh promises to nail culprits

Allahabad, Feb 13: With regard to the

at the Allahabad railway station during the Kumbh Mela, Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has said that strict action will be taken on officials if found guilty of lapses once the inquiry report is received. However at this point in time he has refrained from blaming anyone for the stampede that took place. I would not like to jump the gun as of now and would wait for the inquiry report to come to me," he said.

He said that the investigation into the stampede is being 'headed by a responsible senior official'. He also requested that leaders should not get into politics over the stampede, which was a religious affair.

Meanwhile, the ministry has said, " 2.3 crore passengers travel across the country in 11,000 trains daily. On Sunday, the day of the holy dip, at least three crore pilgrims turned up at the mela. In no way the railways alone could have absorbed that kind of crowd," said a railway ministry official told DNA.

The expert pointed out that the three stations in the capital, New Delhi, Old Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin handle ten lakh passengers, an average more than the crowd present at the time of the incident at Allahabad reported DNA.

However, media reports suggest that along with extra coaches, 650 RPF personnel are being deployed by Railways at Allahabad and adjoining stations to tackle pilgrim rush.

The chief minister on Tuesday met the people injured in Sunday's stampede at the railway station.

Oneindia news