Allahabad railway station stampede: Akhilesh Yadav meets injured

Allahabad: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav reached Swaruprani Bakshi hospital in Allahabad on Tuesday to meet the people injured in Sunday's stampede at the railway station and said that such tragedies are very painful and his administration would try its best to prevent such incidents. Akhilesh said that the investigation into the stampede is being headed by a responsible senior official and action would be taken against those who are held responsible.

He added that Vasant Panchmi on February 15 is another big day at Kumbh and so the security will be very tight. Akhilesh said that his government's first priority was to send all the deceased to their home towns and provide the best treatment to those injured.

"The government has announced compensation of Rs 7 lakh to the family of those who have lost their lives in the tragedy. Rs 1.50 lakh will be given to the injured. The victims admitted in the hospital are satisfied with the treatment they are getting here," he said and added that the doctors were doing their best.

Akhilesh reached Allahabad almost two days after 36 people were killed in the stampede at Allahabad railway station. After reaching the city, he visited the stampede site and also spoke to the officers about the facilities, and arrangements at the Kumbh.

He asked the leaders not to play politics over the stampede as Kumbh was a religious affair. "As soon as we got the information of the incident, senior officers were deputed for relief and rescue work. Two senior ministers reached immediately. I don't want politics to be played over the tragedy. We won't politicise the issue," he said.

But political slugfest had already begun over the tragedy. While Railway Ministry Pawan Kumar Bansal denied that the railways failed to provide good arrangemnet to the passengers, ministers of Uttar Pradesh government blamed the Railway Ministry for the stampede.

The stampede occurred at platforms 6 and where thousands of passengers, mostly Maha Kumbh devotees were returning after taking the holy dip at the Sangam.