New Delhi: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on October 3 directed Railway Minister Nitish Kumar to order an enquiry into the stampede at the Lucknow railway station on September 28 and punish the guilty.

Vajpayee announced a compensation of Rs 50,000 from the PM's Relief Fund for the next of kin of each of the 19 deceased.

He gave the direction to Kumar when Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati called on him at his Race Course Road residence to apprise him of the incident, for which she held the railway staff responsible.

Mayawati later told reporters that Vajpayee spoke to Kumar over phone in her presence expressing concern over the tragedy at the Charbagh railway station and gave necessary instructions to him for the enquiry.

Presenting the state government enquiry report to Vajpayee, she alleged that a last- minute change of platform by the local railway staff had resulted in the stampede among the people who were returning home after attending the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) "maha rally" on September 28.

Official sources said Kumar assured the Prime Minister that after carrying out the investigations, all those responsible for the incident would be punished.

The UP Chief Minister also met Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and the Railway Minister separately to give a detailed account of the incident.

PTI