New Delhi: A high-level inquiry headed by the Director General of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) was on October 3 ordered into last week's stampede at the Charbagh Railway station at Lucknow, following a direction from the Prime Minister A B Vajpayee to Railway Minister Nitish Kumar.

The announcement was made by Kumar after an hour-long meeting with UP Chief Minister Mayawati during which she submitted to him the summary of the probe ordered by the state government into the tragedy which involved BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) workers returning home after the Sept 28 "Maharally" of the party.

Nineteen BSP members lost their lives in the tragedy.

Kumar said the inquiry, which has been given seven days time, would go "deeply" into "all aspects" relating to the incident including the circumstances leading to the stampede and whether immediate efforts for relief were undertaken.

Replying to questions, he said that Mayawati's last minute change of platform for trains announced by the Railway authorities at the station led to the stampede, would also be gone into by the Inquiry.

Asserting that the Railways would punish those found guilty, he said Railway Board's member (Coach and Safety) and Member (Traffic and Transportation) would also be in the inquiry committee.

The announcement by Kumar came hours after Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee directed him to order such a probe and punish the guilty. Mayawati had earlier met the Prime Minister as also the Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani.

Mayawati said the Prime Minister has announced a compensation of Rs 50,000 from the PM's Relief Fund for the next of kin of each of the 19 deceased.

PTI