Kolkata: The railways on Wednesday formed a four-member committee to probe into the circumstances that led to the stampede at Santragachi station which claimed two lives and left 15 injured, a South Eastern Railway (SER) spokesperson said.
The stampede had occurred on Tuesday evening when an express train and two EMU locals arrived at the Santragachi station at the same time and passengers rushed to the platforms to board the trains.
The inquiry panel comprising SER principal chief commercial manager, principal chief engineer, principal chief security commissioner-cum-IG and chief safety officer will look into allegations of “negligence” levelled against the Railways in the mishap, SER spokesperson Sanjay Ghosh said.
“Among other allegations, the committee will also probe claims of a last-minute change in platform for an incoming train which apparently led to cross-movement of passengers on the foot overbridge at the station,” he said.
The probe panel visited the site to study the infrastructural facilities at the location. Its members also interacted with the locals, railway officials and passengers admitted in the hospitals, the official said.
Following the stampede, additional railway personnel have been deployed at the Santragachi station as well as the foot overbridge on Wednesday to ensure smooth movement of passengers alighting or boarding trains, said a railway official.
The official said there was no disruption in services and trains were running as per schedule through the station.
Meanwhile, the government railway police (GRP) has also registered an FIR at the Shalimar GRP against “unknown persons” for the stampede on a complaint by local resident Amarendra Nath Dutta. The FIR was registered under IPC Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) and 304A (causing death by negligence), GRP officials said.
