The Uttar Pradesh government has set up a three-member judicial commission tasked with discovering the causes of the Mahakumbh stampede, with a deadline of one month to complete the investigation. The commission is poised to expedite the process, as stated by the investigation panel chief, Harsh Kumar, on Thursday.
Retired Justice Harsh Kumar also mentioned to a news agency that the commission members will soon visit Prayagraj. An official statement revealed that Harsh Kumar, along with former Police Director General (DGP) V K Gupta and retired IAS officer D K Singh, has commenced work after assuming office.
Harsh Kumar expressed, "We took charge within hours of the announcement, prioritizing the investigation." Upon inquiry about the investigation timeline, he responded, "Though our timeframe is one month, we aim to accelerate progress."
Further explaining, Harsh Kumar noted that the commission members are planning a visit to Prayagraj but did not specify the timing. When asked if the members would investigate different aspects, he remarked, "We will discuss amongst ourselves. Details remain not yet finalized."
In a tragic incident on Wednesday morning, a stampede at the Mahakumbh's Sangam area resulted in at least 30 deaths and 60 injuries. The panic ensued as millions of pilgrims gathered near the Sangam shores for a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya. According to police sources, chaos unfolded when the crowd breached barricades, trampling those on the other side waiting.
Timeline markers show significant points of interest during the investigation efforts:
The panel was announced and members assumed charge within a
few hours
The team plans to visit the incident site in
Prayagraj
soon.
