The Railways 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 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.
Pinning the blame on the Railways for the mishap, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a former railway minister herself, had claimed on Tuesday that internal coordination could have prevented the incident.
"I feel there is a gap in coordination and Railways should look into it. They should have given some time gap between the arrival of two trains when the passengers have to change platforms," she had said.
Banerjee had also stated that her government will hold an administrative inquiry into the incident. She announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the dead and Rs 1 lakh each to those injured in the incident.
Meanwhile, an FIR was registered at the Shalimar GRP against "unknown persons" for the stampede at Santragachi station Tuesday 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.
Some Scouts and Guides cadets were seen regulating the movement of passengers at Santragachi station, including on the foot overbridge.
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