PIL seeks judicial inquiry into Allahabad stampede

Lucknow, Feb 12 (PTI) The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court today directed the centre and state governments to file within a week their replies on a PIL seeking a judicial inquiry into the stampede at the Allahabad railway station on February 10. The Court also issued a notice to the Centre through the secretary of Railways and directed the state government to seal the records connected with the movement of the members of the Kumbh Mela committee on the day of the stampede. It has asked that the said records be kept in a sealed cover which would have to be produced before court on February 20 — the next date of hearing. A division bench comprising Justices Uma Nath Singh and Vinay Kumar Mathur passed the order on a PIL filed today itself after it came up for hearing on the permission of the court. The PIL filed by NGO 'We the People' also sought a direction for the prosecution of those members of the Kumbh Mela coordination committee found guilty of negligence and irresponsible behaviour. Appearing for the state government, Additional Advocate General Bulbul Godiyal said that since the incident had taken place in Allahabad, the PIL was not maintainable in Lucknow, although the petitioner argued that every decision and action of the committee had been planned in the state capital. The petitioner, Prince Lenin, told PTI that the UP chief secretary, divisional commissioner of Allahabad, district magistrate of Allahabad, DM Kumbh Mela, SSP Kumbh Mela and the Inspector General of police were members of the coordination committee. PTI Corr SAB PG KKM SHL